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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. press — a publisher
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. press — newspapers
  8. game — a match
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — of the year
  13. press — to push
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. temple — side of the head

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