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: press · kick · mouse · fine · lean · game · mug · file

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. lean — to bend
  2. mug — a cup
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — thin
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. file — a tool
  9. fine — all right
  10. file — a line of people
  11. mug — to rob
  12. file — a document
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. game — a match
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fine — high quality
  21. game — wild animals
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  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