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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. press — to push
  5. press — a publisher
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rock — a stone
  9. snap — to click
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. press — newspapers
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — the underground
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. rock — music
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. deal — to handle

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