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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. race — humankind
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. race — the arms race
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. race — a contest
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pop — music
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. spring — the season
  19. pop — to visit
  20. spring — a coil
  21. mug — a face
  22. spring — of water
  23. pop — soda
  24. jam — in traffic

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