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: scale · stick · foot · press · mate · pitcher · game · ball

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. press — to push
  5. foot — a measure
  6. scale — in music
  7. ball — a dance
  8. press — a publisher
  9. scale — size or range
  10. mate — a friend
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. game — wild animals
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. mate — to breed
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. press — newspapers
  24. game — a match

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