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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. hand — help
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rash — a series
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. clip — for paper
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. clip — a video
  11. rest — what's left
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rest — what's left
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. press — to push
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rest — a break
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rash — hasty
  21. vault — a safe
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. clip — to cut

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