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: game · mouse · stand · cue · ball · lash · march · press

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. game — wild animals
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. press — to push
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. game — a match
  8. march — the month
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. cue — a signal
  12. march — music
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. press — newspapers
  18. cue — a hint
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. press — a publisher
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ball — a great time
  24. march — the month

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