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: season · press · date · fork · pop · stock · dip · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fork — in a road
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pop — music
  8. press — to push
  9. stock — goods
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. date — the fruit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stock — shares
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. press — newspapers
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pop — soda
  22. press — a publisher
  23. season — of the year
  24. pop — to visit

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