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: nail · press · wake · coach · cap · patient · band · season

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. season — in sport
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. band — a music group
  12. press — newspapers
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. press — a publisher
  15. cap — a hat
  16. band — a ring
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. press — to push
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cap — a lid
  21. wake — a trail
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cap — of ice

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