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 120 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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. chip — for betting
  3. march — music
  4. mug — to rob
  5. march — the month
  6. mug — a face
  7. march — the month
  8. press — to push
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. cap — a hat
  11. game — a match
  12. press — a publisher
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kid — child
  15. fine — high quality
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mug — a cup
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. cap — of ice
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. chip — to eat

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