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

Word bank: pop · lie · wound · land · rest · press · bowl · deal

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pop — music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. land — to come down
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. press — newspapers
  10. pop — to visit
  11. land — ground
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rest — a break
  17. pop — soda
  18. lie — to recline
  19. press — to push
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. deal — a big deal

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