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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. can — to be able to
  3. capital — money
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. can — a tin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. capital — a city
  15. pit — in a race
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. can — a tin
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pit — a hole
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fan — a supporter

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