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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. press — newspapers
  3. net — in sport
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. press — to push
  9. clip — a video
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fine — all right
  15. press — a publisher
  16. clip — for paper
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. net — after costs
  20. chip — to eat
  21. can — a tin
  22. present — the time now
  23. net — for catching
  24. clip — to cut

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