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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pitch — completely
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. rash — a series
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. tube — the underground
  11. sharp — clever
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. press — newspapers
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. perch — the fish
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. press — to push
  23. rash — hasty
  24. tube — a container

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