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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · toast · charge · cell · deal · racket

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. press — to push
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — a phone
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. toast — bread
  14. charge — a price
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. press — newspapers
  17. charge — in control
  18. toast — a drink to someone

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