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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. scale — for weighing
  2. press — to push
  3. prune — to trim
  4. suit — to fit
  5. net — after costs
  6. mug — to rob
  7. scale — size or range
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mug — a cup
  10. suit — clothes
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. capital — a city
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mug — a face
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — newspapers
  18. net — in sport
  19. prune — to trim
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. net — for catching
  22. scale — in music
  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