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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. press — newspapers
  3. capital — money
  4. suit — clothes
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. shower — rain
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. clip — for paper
  11. suit — in cards
  12. capital — a city
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. rock — music
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — a video
  17. suit — to fit
  18. press — to push
  19. shower — to wash
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rock — a stone
  23. season — in sport
  24. press — a publisher

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