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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. cold — an illness
  3. press — newspapers
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — part of the head
  6. root — of a word
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. cold — not warm
  9. face — to confront
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — for digging
  13. present — the time now
  14. stand — to bear
  15. root — the cause
  16. press — a publisher
  17. hand — help
  18. present — there
  19. present — a gift
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. hand — in cards
  22. press — to push
  23. root — of a plant
  24. stand — on your feet

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