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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. key — for a lock
  4. tube — a container
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bound — certain
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. press — a publisher
  9. key — in music
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bound — tied together
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — to push
  16. track — a song
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. key — the most important part
  20. track — a path
  21. mark — a trace
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bound — obliged
  24. tube — the underground

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