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 124 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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bear — the animal
  4. press — to push
  5. firm — decided
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. court — of a king
  10. last — to go on
  11. firm — a company
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bear — the animal
  14. charge — a price
  15. last — final
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. charge — in control
  18. last — finally
  19. firm — steady
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. court — for sport
  23. mine — for digging
  24. court — of law

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