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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. press — newspapers
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. can — a tin
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. press — to push
  11. can — to be able to
  12. object — to protest
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. game — wild animals
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. game — a match
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. cue — a hint
  23. press — a publisher
  24. can — a tin

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