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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. court — of a king
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ball — a dance
  10. court — for sport
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cap — a lid
  19. press — to push
  20. cap — a hat
  21. court — of law
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bore — to tire
  24. cap — of ice

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