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 124 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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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. field — for sport
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mark — a trace
  10. press — to push
  11. press — newspapers
  12. rest — a break
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rest — what's left
  22. field — a subject
  23. field — farmland
  24. cap — of ice

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