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: present · press · bank · jam · row · squash · stem · vault

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bank — for money
  3. present — there
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bank — of a river
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. press — to push
  11. squash — the sport
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. vault — a safe
  14. row — a line
  15. squash — to crush
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bank — for money
  24. press — a publisher

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