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: squash · bank · nail · face · press · pass · bear · bulb

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. press — to push
  7. face — to confront
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bulb — for light
  10. face — to point toward
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pass — a permit
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bank — for money
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bulb — for light
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the sport
  24. face — part of the head

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