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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. press — a publisher
  4. land — to come down
  5. club — for dancing
  6. press — newspapers
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — of a plant
  11. club — for golf
  12. rest — what's left
  13. root — the cause
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. suit — in cards
  16. club — a group
  17. rest — what's left
  18. land — a country
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rest — a break
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. press — to push
  23. land — ground
  24. hand — help

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