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 120 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: bulb · rest · rush · chest · leaves · march · object · press

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. object — a thing
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chest — of your body
  7. rest — a break
  8. object — an aim
  9. rest — what's left
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. chest — of your body
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. march — music
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rush — hurry
  21. object — to protest
  22. rest — what's left
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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