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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. press — to push
  3. can — a tin
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. hand — in cards
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — help
  12. press — a publisher
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. can — a tin
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. can — to be able to
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stand — to bear
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. press — newspapers

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