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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. press — newspapers
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. press — a publisher
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. game — a match
  7. pitch — completely
  8. key — the most important part
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. file — a line of people
  11. hand — in cards
  12. key — in music
  13. hand — help
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. file — a document
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wake — a trail
  21. fine — high quality
  22. game — wild animals
  23. press — to push
  24. hand — part of the body

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