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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. press — to push
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ground — crushed
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. press — newspapers
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. press — a publisher
  19. ground — a position
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ball — a dance

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