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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bat — the animal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. press — to push
  7. stem — to come from
  8. swing — music
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. press — a publisher
  13. swing — to play on
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. swing — in golf
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. shower — rain
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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