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 · mine · calf · pitcher · bowl · branch · deal · staff

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. press — a publisher
  3. mine — for digging
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. press — newspapers
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. press — to push
  19. staff — employees
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. branch — a division

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