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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. press — newspapers
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. race — humankind
  7. press — to push
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fall — the season
  12. race — the arms race
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. race — a contest
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cell — a phone
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cell — in biology
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — music
  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