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: press · fine · bound · fork · rock · deal · season · saw

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. fine — high quality
  3. press — a publisher
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bound — obliged
  7. press — newspapers
  8. fine — all right
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. deal — to handle
  13. saw — the tool
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. rock — a stone
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rock — music
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. deal — a big deal

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