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: chest · press · pass · pound · leaves · wake · pop · coach

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pop — soda
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. chest — a box
  11. press — newspapers
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pop — to visit
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. chest — of your body
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. chest — of your body
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pop — music

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