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 116 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. can — a tin
  4. press — a publisher
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. press — to push
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rush — hurry
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cap — a lid
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. cap — of ice
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fork — in a road
  21. can — to be able to
  22. cap — a hat
  23. press — newspapers
  24. racket — for tennis

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