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: track · shower · stand · prune · game · snap · press · coach

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. shower — rain
  6. stand — to bear
  7. press — newspapers
  8. track — a path
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. shower — to wash
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. press — to push
  13. game — a match
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. snap — to click
  16. press — a publisher
  17. track — to keep track
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. game — wild animals
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. track — a song

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