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 116 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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. court — for sport
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. key — for a lock
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. press — newspapers
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. court — of law
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mine — for digging
  14. key — in music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. key — the most important part
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. court — of a king
  21. season — of the year
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. press — to push
  24. season — in sport

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