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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · press · suit · bay · cell · field

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. press — newspapers
  4. suit — to fit
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. field — farmland
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cell — in biology
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. field — a subject
  17. suit — in cards
  18. 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