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 120 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 is an ace ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. present — the time now
  3. fine — all right
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. press — to push
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. press — a publisher
  9. key — in music
  10. ball — a dance
  11. key — for a lock
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fine — high quality
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. present — a gift
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. present — there
  20. ball — a great time
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. key — the most important part
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. press — newspapers

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