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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. ground — the earth
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. capital — money
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. press — a publisher
  7. board — to get on
  8. pass — a permit
  9. press — newspapers
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. capital — a city
  15. press — to push
  16. present — the time now
  17. kid — child
  18. present — a gift
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. present — there
  21. board — a committee
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. kid — to tease

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