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 116 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 a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rush — hurry
  4. fine — all right
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. face — part of the head
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. face — to point toward
  12. pit — in a race
  13. present — there
  14. press — newspapers
  15. fine — high quality
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. present — the time now
  18. press — a publisher
  19. present — a gift
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. face — to confront
  23. press — to push
  24. pit — a hole

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