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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. court — for sport
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. press — a publisher
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. game — wild animals
  9. press — newspapers
  10. staff — a stick
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. swing — in golf
  14. court — of law
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. game — a match
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. press — to push
  20. swing — to play on
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. court — of a king
  23. swing — music
  24. stand — to bear

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