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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. vault — a safe
  3. fine — high quality
  4. press — a publisher
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. press — to push
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. squash — to crush
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. kid — child
  13. fine — all right
  14. chest — of your body
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. kid — to tease
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. chest — a box
  24. chest — of your body

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