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 120 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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. dip — to sink
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — to protest
  6. club — for dancing
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. content — happy
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. press — newspapers
  14. object — an aim
  15. press — a publisher
  16. club — for golf
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. game — wild animals
  21. press — to push
  22. game — a match
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — the amount

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