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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. stock — goods
  3. present — the time now
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. fall — the season
  6. branch — a division
  7. fall — to drop
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. present — there
  11. court — of law
  12. fall — to drop
  13. press — newspapers
  14. present — a gift
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. press — to push
  17. cell — a phone
  18. court — for sport
  19. charge — in control
  20. court — of a king
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stock — shares
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. charge — a price

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