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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. kid — to tease
  3. season — in sport
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. fine — all right
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. press — to push
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bound — tied together
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. press — newspapers
  16. craft — boats
  17. fine — high quality
  18. craft — a skill
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — certain
  23. season — of the year
  24. press — a publisher

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