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: wave · press · racket · present · tube · date · fine · court

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. present — the time now
  3. fine — high quality
  4. press — a publisher
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. press — to push
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. tube — a container
  15. press — newspapers
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. fine — all right
  21. court — of a king
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. court — for sport
  24. racket — for tennis

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