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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pitch — completely
  4. present — the time now
  5. shower — to wash
  6. press — to push
  7. present — a gift
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — rain
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wound — an injury
  15. press — a publisher
  16. net — in sport
  17. vault — a safe
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. net — for catching
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. press — newspapers
  22. present — there
  23. net — after costs
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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