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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. press — a publisher
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. spring — of water
  7. spring — the season
  8. game — a match
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — farmland
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. spring — a coil
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. field — a subject
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. press — to push
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. game — wild animals
  21. stock — goods
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stock — shares
  24. leaves — to go away

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