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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. press — newspapers
  3. craft — boats
  4. band — a ring
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. land — to come down
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — farmland
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. scale — size or range
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. press — to push
  14. land — a country
  15. press — a publisher
  16. land — ground
  17. scale — in music
  18. field — a subject
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pit — in a race
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — a division

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