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 · court · rush · track · key · fan · rash · cue

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — a hint
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. press — newspapers
  8. court — for sport
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. court — of a king
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. key — for a lock
  15. press — a publisher
  16. track — a song
  17. court — of law
  18. track — to keep track
  19. key — the most important part
  20. cue — for pool
  21. press — to push
  22. rash — hasty
  23. key — in music
  24. track — a path

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