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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. press — to push
  6. lean — thin
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. press — newspapers
  9. field — farmland
  10. rule — government
  11. field — a subject
  12. lean — to bend
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. rule — a law
  22. capital — a city
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. field — for sport

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