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: fine · tube · season · bear · shower · press · hide · stock

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fine — all right
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. season — of the year
  7. press — a publisher
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. shower — to wash
  10. tube — a container
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. press — to push
  15. stock — goods
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. shower — rain
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stock — shares
  22. bear — the animal
  23. press — newspapers
  24. fine — high quality

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