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: plane · bore · chair · press · prune · stock · foot · coach

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bore — to drill
  3. press — to push
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. press — newspapers
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. chair — a leader
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. press — a publisher
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. plane — a tool
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stock — shares
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bore — to tire
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. plane — in geometry

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