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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. staff — employees
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. press — to push
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stock — shares
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. ground — a position
  15. stock — goods
  16. pitch — completely
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bulb — for light
  19. press — newspapers
  20. march — the month
  21. staff — a stick
  22. ground — the earth
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. staff — employees

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