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 124 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. press — to push
  3. wake — a trail
  4. sharp — clever
  5. press — a publisher
  6. cap — a hat
  7. band — a ring
  8. game — wild animals
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bound — certain
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a music group
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bear — the animal
  19. game — a match
  20. bound — obliged
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — of ice

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