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: drill · field · toast · dip · press · arm · bound · charge

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bound — tied together
  5. field — farmland
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. drill — a practice
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. field — a subject
  12. bound — certain
  13. toast — bread
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bound — obliged
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. press — a publisher
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. field — for sport
  20. drill — army training
  21. press — newspapers
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — to dunk
  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