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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. field — farmland
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cap — of ice
  5. press — to push
  6. branch — a division
  7. press — newspapers
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. cap — a hat
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. cap — a lid
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. field — a subject
  17. pit — in a race
  18. snap — to click
  19. press — a publisher
  20. field — for sport
  21. pit — a hole
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. club — a group

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