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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. press — a publisher
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fall — the season
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fall — to drop
  9. staff — employees
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pit — in a race
  12. press — newspapers
  13. fall — to drop
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. press — to push
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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