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: sharp · foot · vault · squash · rush · bass · press · wake

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — clever
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. press — newspapers
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. squash — the sport
  19. wake — a trail
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. vault — a safe
  22. squash — to crush
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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