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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. press — a publisher
  3. mate — a friend
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. present — there
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. mate — a partner
  12. press — newspapers
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wound — an injury
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. tube — a container
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mate — to breed
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. present — a gift
  23. stem — to come from
  24. press — to push

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