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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. content — happy
  3. press — newspapers
  4. track — to keep track
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. press — to push
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. game — a match
  11. scale — in music
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bulb — for light
  15. track — a path
  16. bulb — for light
  17. game — wild animals
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. track — a song
  21. content — the amount
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bore — to drill
  24. content — videos and posts

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