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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pitch — completely
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. press — newspapers
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. ball — a dance
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. dip — to sink
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — to push
  20. wake — a trail
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. coach — a trainer

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