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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mark — a trace
  4. press — to push
  5. board — to get on
  6. pitch — completely
  7. board — a committee
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. root — of a word
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. root — of a plant
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. root — the cause
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. press — a publisher
  19. squash — to crush
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mark — a grade
  23. press — newspapers
  24. mark — to pay attention

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