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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. press — newspapers
  6. stand — to bear
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. game — wild animals
  9. deal — to handle
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. game — a match
  14. press — to push
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. chip — for betting
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. scale — in music
  24. deal — a big deal

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