ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · kick · press · ground · sharp · bound · rush · saw

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — to push
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rush — hurry
  8. kick — in football
  9. bound — certain
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. ground — crushed
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. board — a committee
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bound — obliged
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — to get on
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ground — a position
  22. press — a publisher
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. ground — the earth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com