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: sharp · press · season · squash · capital · stick · band · bay

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. squash — the sport
  5. capital — money
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. press — newspapers
  10. season — of the year
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. press — a publisher
  13. season — in sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. sharp — clever
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. band — a ring
  21. press — to push
  22. band — a music group
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. capital — a city

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