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: cap · press · stock · cabinet · hide · pound · key · wind

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wind — moving air
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. key — the most important part
  7. wind — moving air
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. press — newspapers
  13. key — in music
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. press — to push
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. cap — of ice
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pound — a weight
  20. cap — a hat
  21. key — for a lock
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. cap — a lid

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