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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fine — high quality
  4. swing — to play on
  5. press — a publisher
  6. pop — to visit
  7. race — humankind
  8. row — a line
  9. swing — music
  10. press — to push
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. press — newspapers
  13. fine — all right
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pop — soda
  18. swing — in golf
  19. ball — a dance
  20. race — a contest
  21. row — to paddle
  22. pass — a permit
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pop — music

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