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: racket · wind · press · nail · bay · arm · dip · spell

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. dip — to sink
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spell — magic
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. spell — a short time
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. press — to push
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. spell — letters
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. press — newspapers
  24. arm — a part of something

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