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: ball · press · stock · court · kid · file · pound · snap

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. file — a line of people
  3. press — newspapers
  4. file — a tool
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — child
  8. file — a document
  9. snap — to click
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. ball — a great time
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. ball — a dance
  18. stock — goods
  19. court — of law
  20. stock — shares
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of a king

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