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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. craft — a skill
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pop — to visit
  6. press — a publisher
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pop — soda
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mate — to breed
  14. press — to push
  15. craft — boats
  16. mug — a face
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. press — newspapers
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. mate — a friend
  21. dip — to sink
  22. mug — to rob
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mug — a cup

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