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: chip · press · mug · ball · spell · field · stem · rest

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rest — a break
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rest — what's left
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. spell — a short time
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. field — for sport
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chip — for betting
  14. field — farmland
  15. ball — a great time
  16. field — a subject
  17. mug — a cup
  18. ball — a dance
  19. spell — letters
  20. chip — to eat
  21. press — a publisher
  22. stem — to come from
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mug — a face

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