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 116 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. fine — all right
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kid — child
  10. ground — a position
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. cap — a hat
  16. fine — high quality
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. press — a publisher
  20. charge — in control
  21. cap — of ice
  22. ground — the earth
  23. press — newspapers
  24. ground — crushed

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