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 116 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: mine · dip · press · rock · coach · mouse · ground · shower

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. mine — for digging
  3. press — to push
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. press — newspapers
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. rock — music
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ground — a position
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. shower — to wash
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. shower — rain
  21. dip — to sink
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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