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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. clip — a video
  4. kid — child
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. press — to push
  7. pop — soda
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pop — music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ball — a great time
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. press — a publisher
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. press — newspapers
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. clip — to cut
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. kid — to tease
  23. clip — for paper
  24. patient — a sick person

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