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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. stock — shares
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. press — a publisher
  9. cell — in biology
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. press — to push
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cell — a phone
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bat — the animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. pass — a permit
  24. suit — in cards

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