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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — the sport
  5. press — a publisher
  6. squash — to crush
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. press — to push
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. press — newspapers
  15. can — a tin
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a tool
  18. game — a match
  19. chair — a leader
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. game — wild animals
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. game — a kind of play

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