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: pop · trunk · mark · bulb · scale · leaves · straw · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. press — newspapers
  11. mark — a trace
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bulb — for light
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — in music
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bulb — for light
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pop — to visit
  22. press — to push
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. straw — dry grass

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