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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. press — to push
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bass — the fish
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bass — low music
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fall — to drop
  16. root — the cause
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mug — to rob
  22. root — of a word
  23. fall — the season
  24. wound — an injury

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