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 116 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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. field — for sport
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pound — a weight
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rash — a series
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. rash — hasty
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. press — to push
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. field — a subject
  16. clip — for paper
  17. track — a song
  18. clip — a video
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. clip — to cut
  21. field — farmland
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. track — a path
  24. rush — hurry

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