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: chair · fan · dip · press · bowl · mark · ball · mine

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. press — to push
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ball — a great time
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. dip — to sink
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. mark — a trace
  21. press — a publisher
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — belonging to me

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