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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ground — the earth
  3. press — newspapers
  4. spell — letters
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. club — for dancing
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wound — an injury
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. wound — an injury
  12. ground — crushed
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. club — for golf
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. press — to push
  17. spell — magic
  18. ground — a position
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. chair — a leader
  22. press — a publisher
  23. club — a group
  24. pop — soda

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