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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bank — for money
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. present — there
  5. bank — for money
  6. press — newspapers
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rock — music
  9. stock — shares
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. present — a gift
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bank — of a river
  15. net — for catching
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. present — the time now
  20. mine — for digging
  21. press — to push
  22. stock — goods
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — after costs

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