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 124 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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. net — for catching
  5. firm — decided
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. spell — magic
  10. press — to push
  11. firm — steady
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. object — an aim
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. object — a thing
  18. net — in sport
  19. spell — letters
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. firm — a company
  22. object — to protest
  23. press — newspapers
  24. spell — a short time

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