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: bay · chair · leaves · chip · trunk · field · press · stem

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. press — to push
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. chair — a leader
  7. field — a subject
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. press — newspapers
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. field — for sport
  16. chip — to eat
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. chip — for betting
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. field — farmland
  24. stem — of a plant

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