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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. key — for a lock
  3. mug — a cup
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. mug — to rob
  6. hand — help
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. mug — a face
  10. key — in music
  11. press — newspapers
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. key — the most important part
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. press — to push
  16. season — in sport
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. hand — in cards

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