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: can · hide · jam · bound · fork · row · press · arm

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. can — a tin
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bound — certain
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bound — obliged
  11. row — a line
  12. press — a publisher
  13. fork — in a road
  14. can — to be able to
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. row — to paddle
  19. can — a tin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bound — tied together
  24. press — newspapers

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