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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. present — the time now
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bear — the animal
  5. charge — in control
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. press — to push
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. charge — a price
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — there
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. charge — electricity
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. press — newspapers
  23. mine — for digging
  24. wake — before a funeral

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