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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. season — of the year
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. game — wild animals
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. press — to push
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. land — to come down
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fall — to drop
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. land — a country
  17. craft — boats
  18. season — in sport
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. press — newspapers
  22. game — a match
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. coach — a trainer

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