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 120 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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. cap — a hat
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — to push
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. scale — size or range
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cap — a lid
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. scale — in music
  14. season — in sport
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. fine — all right
  17. kick — in football
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fine — high quality
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. season — of the year
  24. scale — for weighing

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