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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. press — to push
  3. club — for golf
  4. net — after costs
  5. land — ground
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. net — for catching
  8. club — a group
  9. press — a publisher
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. land — to come down
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. vault — a safe
  18. net — in sport
  19. press — newspapers
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. club — for dancing
  23. land — a country
  24. pitcher — a jug

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