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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. press — a publisher
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. field — for sport
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cap — a lid
  8. board — a committee
  9. field — farmland
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. field — a subject
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. net — for catching
  15. cap — a hat
  16. press — to push
  17. board — to get on
  18. spell — letters
  19. press — newspapers
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. net — in sport
  22. saw — the tool
  23. net — after costs
  24. saw — the tool

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