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: pop · land · key · lie · bowl · cell · current · press

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. land — to come down
  5. press — a publisher
  6. current — of water
  7. cell — a phone
  8. press — to push
  9. land — ground
  10. current — electric
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cell — in biology
  15. pop — music
  16. current — happening now
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. land — a country
  19. key — for a lock
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pop — to visit
  23. key — in music
  24. pop — soda

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