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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. press — a publisher
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. chest — of your body
  6. root — of a word
  7. chest — a box
  8. press — to push
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. root — the cause
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. board — a committee
  13. field — farmland
  14. board — to get on
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stand — to bear
  18. field — for sport
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. field — a subject
  22. press — newspapers
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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