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

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. press — a publisher
  6. court — of a king
  7. branch — a division
  8. press — newspapers
  9. court — for sport
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. craft — boats
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. court — of law
  22. press — to push
  23. rule — government
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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