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: lean · press · leaves · chest · bulb · can · chip · bowl

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lean — thin
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chip — to eat
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chest — a box
  14. can — a tin
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. chest — of your body
  17. press — a publisher
  18. can — a tin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. press — newspapers
  24. chip — for betting

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