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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. mate — a partner
  3. club — for dancing
  4. kid — child
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — music
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pop — to visit
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — help
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. mate — to breed
  15. hand — in cards
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. mate — a friend
  20. club — for golf
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. press — a publisher
  23. club — a group
  24. press — to push

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