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 120 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. press — a publisher
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. perch — the fish
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. file — a tool
  8. press — to push
  9. deal — to handle
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. press — newspapers
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. file — a document
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. ruler — for measuring

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