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 116 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 · cabinet · object · press · rest · coach · can · pass

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rest — what's left
  6. can — to be able to
  7. object — to protest
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. can — a tin
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rest — a break
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. object — a thing
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. can — a tin

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