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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. saw — the tool
  5. squash — to crush
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. rock — a stone
  10. press — newspapers
  11. cap — a lid
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. press — to push
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. cap — a hat
  17. press — a publisher
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. capital — a city
  20. stem — to come from
  21. cap — of ice
  22. squash — the sport
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — money

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