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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. fork — in a road
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. degree — from a university
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bear — the animal
  12. degree — an amount
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rash — hasty
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. press — newspapers
  18. degree — temperature
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. rash — a series
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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