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 120 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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. press — newspapers
  3. court — of law
  4. press — to push
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — to bear
  7. net — after costs
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. net — for catching
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. prune — to trim
  13. net — in sport
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. track — a song
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — for sport
  21. track — a path
  22. mark — a grade
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mark — a trace

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