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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cap — of ice
  8. press — to push
  9. scale — size or range
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. scale — in music
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pop — music
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. press — newspapers
  18. pop — soda
  19. press — a publisher
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cap — a lid
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bowl — a football final

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