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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. press — newspapers
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rest — a break
  9. object — a thing
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. squash — the sport
  13. rest — what's left
  14. field — farmland
  15. press — a publisher
  16. squash — to crush
  17. field — a subject
  18. press — to push
  19. craft — boats
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. field — for sport
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. object — to protest

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