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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. press — a publisher
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. scale — size or range
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. scale — in music
  8. board — a committee
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. date — the fruit
  11. squash — to crush
  12. press — to push
  13. squash — the sport
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pound — a weight
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. press — newspapers
  22. stem — to come from
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. squash — the vegetable

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