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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. present — the time now
  6. press — to push
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. spring — of water
  11. present — there
  12. pop — to visit
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pop — music
  16. spring — the season
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rock — music
  19. present — a gift
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pop — soda
  24. press — newspapers

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