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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. staff — employees
  3. content — happy
  4. press — to push
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. club — for dancing
  8. content — the amount
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. sharp — clever
  12. press — newspapers
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. club — a group
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. staff — employees
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. press — a publisher

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