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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  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. mark — a trace
  2. vault — a safe
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. pit — a hole
  9. cap — a lid
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. press — a publisher
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. season — of the year
  14. capital — a city
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. cap — of ice
  17. press — to push
  18. mug — a face
  19. season — in sport
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pit — in a race
  22. press — newspapers
  23. season — to add flavour
  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