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: key · capital · dip · press · wound · coach · can · prune

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. prune — to trim
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. press — a publisher
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. key — the most important part
  9. press — to push
  10. capital — money
  11. dip — to sink
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. can — a tin
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wound — an injury
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. capital — a city
  21. can — to be able to
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — in music
  24. can — a tin

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