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: wake · press · key · object · stock · pitcher · present · squash

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. press — to push
  4. stock — shares
  5. present — a gift
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. present — there
  8. press — a publisher
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. squash — the sport
  11. wake — a trail
  12. press — newspapers
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. object — an aim
  15. present — the time now
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. squash — to crush
  21. object — to protest
  22. stock — goods
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. key — the most important part

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