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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. press — a publisher
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rest — what's left
  6. field — for sport
  7. board — a committee
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. press — newspapers
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. board — to get on
  12. press — to push
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. field — farmland
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rest — a break
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. field — a subject
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rest — what's left

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