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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mate — a partner
  5. shower — to wash
  6. mate — to breed
  7. cold — an illness
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. suit — in cards
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mate — a friend
  16. cold — not warm
  17. can — a tin
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. suit — to fit
  21. can — a tin
  22. cue — a hint
  23. shower — rain
  24. press — to push

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