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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. mine — for digging
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bass — the fish
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. face — part of the head
  9. press — to push
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. press — a publisher
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. press — newspapers
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. face — to confront
  23. bass — low music
  24. racket — a loud noise

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