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: hide · press · cabinet · patient · present · deal · spring · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. deal — to handle
  3. present — there
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. spring — of water
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. spring — a coil
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. spring — the season
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pound — a weight
  20. present — a gift
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. press — a publisher
  23. present — the time now
  24. press — to push

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