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 116 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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. game — a match
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. press — to push
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. game — wild animals
  11. tube — a container
  12. pitch — completely
  13. press — newspapers
  14. mug — a cup
  15. press — a publisher
  16. mug — a face
  17. stem — to come from
  18. mug — to rob

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