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: trunk · dip · jam · clip · pass · fork · bay · press

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. clip — to cut
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. press — to push
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. press — newspapers
  16. clip — for paper
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. clip — a video
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. pass — a permit
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. dip — to dunk

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