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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. club — for golf
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pop — soda
  5. press — to push
  6. rest — a break
  7. press — a publisher
  8. rest — what's left
  9. club — a group
  10. press — newspapers
  11. spring — the season
  12. club — for dancing
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pit — a hole
  16. chip — to eat
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. chip — for betting
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. board — to get on
  23. pop — music
  24. rest — what's left

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