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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bass — low music
  4. press — to push
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bass — the fish
  10. roll — a list
  11. game — a match
  12. rest — a break
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. press — a publisher
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rest — what's left
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. roll — a cake
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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