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 120 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. game — wild animals
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pop — to visit
  6. press — a publisher
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. press — to push
  10. hand — help
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. club — for dancing
  13. hand — in cards
  14. press — newspapers
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. rash — a series
  17. pop — music
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rash — hasty
  20. club — for golf
  21. game — a match
  22. pop — soda
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. club — a group

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