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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — a cake
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. ground — the earth
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pitch — completely
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bass — the fish
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bass — low music
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. ground — crushed
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. spell — a short time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ground — a position
  23. spell — letters
  24. ball — a great time

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