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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. hand — help
  10. press — a publisher
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. ball — a great time
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. hand — in cards
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bore — to drill
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. kid — to tease
  23. press — to push
  24. kid — child

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