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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. chair — a leader
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. press — a publisher
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rock — music
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cell — a phone
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. press — to push
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. press — newspapers

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