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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. charge — in control
  4. press — to push
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. net — after costs
  8. game — wild animals
  9. stem — to come from
  10. can — to be able to
  11. charge — a price
  12. press — a publisher
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. press — newspapers
  16. game — a match
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. charge — electricity

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