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: leaves · wind · toast · scale · dip · stick · cap · press

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. press — newspapers
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. cap — of ice
  5. dip — to sink
  6. cap — a hat
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. press — to push
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wind — moving air
  15. toast — bread
  16. press — a publisher
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cap — a lid
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. wind — moving air
  24. scale — size or range

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