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: saw · jam · mine · date · ball · fine · press · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. ball — a great time
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ball — a dance
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. fine — all right
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. mine — for digging
  19. press — newspapers
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — to push
  24. fine — high quality

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