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 116 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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pop — music
  4. fine — all right
  5. field — a subject
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. craft — a skill
  8. fine — high quality
  9. craft — boats
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. press — newspapers
  12. field — farmland
  13. pop — to visit
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. press — a publisher
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stock — shares
  19. bear — the animal
  20. press — to push
  21. pop — soda
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. stock — goods
  24. field — for sport

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