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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. game — a match
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. can — to be able to
  9. track — a song
  10. press — newspapers
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. can — a tin
  13. track — to keep track
  14. row — a line
  15. press — to push
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. game — wild animals
  18. mine — for digging
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. press — a publisher
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. track — a path
  24. can — a tin

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