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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bound — obliged
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stock — goods
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bound — tied together
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bound — certain
  11. mine — for digging
  12. hand — help
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — to push
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. hand — in cards
  23. stock — shares
  24. fan — a supporter

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