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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. press — a publisher
  4. object — an aim
  5. stand — to bear
  6. object — a thing
  7. face — to point toward
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. branch — a division
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. press — newspapers
  14. face — part of the head
  15. object — to protest
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. face — to confront
  20. press — to push
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. prune — to trim
  24. branch — of a bank

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