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: press · firm · rash · mark · toast · field · kid · board

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. firm — steady
  4. rash — hasty
  5. field — a subject
  6. press — to push
  7. mark — a grade
  8. kid — child
  9. field — for sport
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. firm — decided
  12. board — to get on
  13. firm — a company
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. rash — a series
  16. kid — to tease
  17. press — newspapers
  18. toast — bread
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. field — farmland
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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