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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pop — soda
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. spring — of water
  6. pop — music
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pop — to visit
  9. spring — a coil
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. court — for sport
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. spring — the season
  15. rock — music
  16. court — of a king
  17. mine — for digging
  18. press — to push
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mug — a face
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. court — of law

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