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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. press — newspapers
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. charge — electricity
  10. season — in sport
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. prune — to trim
  13. charge — a price
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. press — to push
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. season — of the year
  18. prune — to trim
  19. charge — in control
  20. press — a publisher
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. straw — a straw man

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