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: mate · stock · fine · spell · march · press · court · prune

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stock — goods
  4. march — music
  5. press — to push
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stock — shares
  8. court — of law
  9. mate — to breed
  10. march — the month
  11. spell — a short time
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. spell — magic
  14. court — for sport
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mate — a partner
  17. spell — letters
  18. mate — a friend
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. prune — to trim
  21. press — a publisher
  22. fine — all right
  23. march — the month
  24. court — of a king

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