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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. file — a document
  4. mate — to breed
  5. object — to protest
  6. mate — a partner
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. press — a publisher
  9. object — an aim
  10. ball — a great time
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rock — a stone
  13. file — a line of people
  14. craft — boats
  15. press — newspapers
  16. mate — a friend
  17. file — a tool
  18. press — to push
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rock — music
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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