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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bass — low music
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. game — a match
  5. press — newspapers
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mark — a trace
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bass — the fish
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. cue — a hint
  12. press — to push
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mark — a grade
  21. chair — a leader
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. cue — for pool

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