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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. press — newspapers
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mug — a cup
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mug — to rob
  11. dip — to sink
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mug — a face
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rock — music
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — in music
  19. press — to push
  20. scale — size or range
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bark — to shout
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. patient — a sick person

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