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 116 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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. rock — music
  3. ground — the earth
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. ground — a position
  7. press — newspapers
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ground — crushed
  12. press — to push
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. key — in music
  16. cold — not warm
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rock — a stone
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cue — for pool
  24. calf — a young animal

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