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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stand — to bear
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. squash — the sport
  7. press — a publisher
  8. pop — to visit
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. press — to push
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pop — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pop — soda
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bark — to shout
  18. fine — all right
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. squash — to crush
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. date — the fruit

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