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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. press — newspapers
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. press — a publisher
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. season — of the year
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. pit — a hole
  11. season — in sport
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ground — a position
  14. press — to push
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — after costs
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ground — the earth
  23. wind — moving air
  24. season — to add flavour

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