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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. tube — a container
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rule — government
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. press — newspapers
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. swing — in golf
  15. toast — bread
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. tube — the underground
  20. rule — a law
  21. bear — the animal
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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