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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. ground — the earth
  4. cue — for pool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. ground — a position
  7. press — a publisher
  8. plane — a tool
  9. squash — the sport
  10. press — to push
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hand — help
  15. shower — rain
  16. cue — a hint
  17. squash — to crush
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cue — a signal
  23. ground — crushed
  24. press — newspapers

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