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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. press — a publisher
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rule — a law
  6. field — a subject
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. spring — a coil
  9. field — farmland
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — of water
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. board — to get on
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rule — government
  17. branch — a division
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. board — a committee
  21. bulb — for light
  22. press — to push
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. field — for 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