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: cue · spell · field · press · game · rash · wax · ball

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. rash — a series
  3. field — for sport
  4. spell — letters
  5. ball — a great time
  6. spell — magic
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. field — a subject
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rash — hasty
  11. cue — a signal
  12. game — wild animals
  13. cue — for pool
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. spell — a short time
  17. game — a match
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. wax — to grow
  21. press — a publisher
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. field — farmland
  24. press — to push

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