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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bound — tied together
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — for sport
  11. cap — of ice
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. cap — a lid
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bound — obliged
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bound — certain
  20. field — a subject
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. press — to push
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bark — to shout

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