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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. present — the time now
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rash — hasty
  9. clip — a video
  10. press — newspapers
  11. cue — a signal
  12. clip — for paper
  13. present — there
  14. cue — a hint
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. board — a committee
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. present — a gift
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cue — for pool
  24. board — to get on

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