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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. race — a contest
  3. key — the most important part
  4. net — for catching
  5. key — for a lock
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. net — after costs
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. key — in music
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. prune — to trim
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. press — a publisher
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. deal — to handle
  19. race — humankind
  20. net — in sport
  21. race — the arms race
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. press — to push
  24. perch — the fish

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