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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. prune — to trim
  3. press — to push
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. prune — to trim
  8. march — the month
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. dip — to sink
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rule — a law
  15. pound — a weight
  16. march — the month
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rule — government
  20. press — newspapers
  21. march — music
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. press — a publisher
  24. patient — a sick person

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