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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stock — shares
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stock — goods
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fall — the season
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. fall — to drop
  16. press — newspapers
  17. rock — music
  18. press — to push
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rock — a stone
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rush — a thrill

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