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 116 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. row — a line
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. press — newspapers
  6. deal — to handle
  7. row — to paddle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pop — to visit
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. press — to push
  15. present — there
  16. pitch — completely
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. present — the time now
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. vault — a safe
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — soda
  24. present — a gift

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