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: present · rest · chair · wave · press · season

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. press — newspapers
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. season — in sport
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. present — a gift
  10. press — to push
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. press — a publisher
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. season — of the year
  16. chair — a leader
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. present — the time now

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