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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bear — the animal
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. capital — a city
  6. pound — a weight
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. fall — to drop
  15. press — to push
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pop — soda
  23. fall — the season
  24. press — a publisher

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