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: court · track · coach · press · stand · saw · straw · wave

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. press — to push
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. track — a song
  7. track — a path
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. track — to keep track
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. court — of a king
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. court — for sport
  17. stand — to bear
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. court — of law
  23. press — a publisher
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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