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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. rule — government
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. branch — a division
  5. press — a publisher
  6. rule — a law
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. scale — size or range
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bass — the fish
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. scale — in music
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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