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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. swing — to play on
  5. press — to push
  6. court — of a king
  7. swing — music
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. track — to keep track
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mark — a grade
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. track — a path
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. track — a song
  20. bat — the animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. swing — in golf
  23. wake — a trail
  24. mark — to pay attention

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