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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. staff — employees
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bank — of a river
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. wax — to grow
  11. branch — a division
  12. bank — for money
  13. staff — employees
  14. capital — money
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — newspapers
  21. staff — a stick
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bank — for money
  24. capital — a city

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