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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. charge — in control
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — after costs
  5. charge — a price
  6. press — to push
  7. stock — goods
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. press — a publisher
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stock — shares
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. press — newspapers
  21. net — in sport
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mouse — the animal

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