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 120 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 · bulb · season · bark · pound · nail · cap · fork

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. press — a publisher
  7. pound — a weight
  8. season — of the year
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — to push
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bark — to shout
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. season — in 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