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 120 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 · bay · prune · land · kick · fork · rest · plane

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — ground
  4. prune — to trim
  5. press — newspapers
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rest — a break
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. prune — to trim
  18. land — a country
  19. kick — in football
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. press — to push

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