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: court · pound · press · wind · dip · key · bore · branch

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bore — to drill
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. press — to push
  8. court — for sport
  9. key — the most important part
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pound — a weight
  12. key — for a lock
  13. wind — moving air
  14. court — of law
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bore — to tire
  18. branch — a division
  19. key — in music
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. press — a publisher
  24. court — of a king

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