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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. charge — a price
  3. press — a publisher
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. tear — to rip
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bulb — for light
  10. press — newspapers
  11. tear — from crying
  12. band — a music group
  13. press — to push
  14. fine — all right
  15. stand — to bear
  16. band — a ring
  17. charge — in control
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tear — from crying
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. stand — for spectators

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