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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wind — moving air
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. press — to push
  9. cue — for pool
  10. suit — to fit
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. deal — to handle
  14. press — a publisher
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cue — a signal
  17. perch — the fish
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. suit — in cards
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. suit — clothes
  24. press — newspapers

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