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: vault · ground · field · fine · bear · mug · press · object

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mug — a cup
  3. object — an aim
  4. press — a publisher
  5. object — a thing
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ground — crushed
  10. vault — a safe
  11. ground — the earth
  12. field — farmland
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ground — a position
  15. press — newspapers
  16. fine — all right
  17. press — to push
  18. object — to protest
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. field — for sport
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. field — a subject
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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