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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. net — after costs
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. press — newspapers
  6. net — for catching
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. last — final
  11. last — to go on
  12. bat — the animal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. net — in sport
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. last — finally
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. plane — a tool

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