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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bound — certain
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bound — tied together
  9. capital — a city
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bound — obliged
  12. present — a gift
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. press — a publisher
  15. present — the time now
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. press — to push
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. present — there
  23. capital — money
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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