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: chair · wave · ball · safe · fork · pop · press · nail

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pop — soda
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. chair — a leader
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pop — to visit
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. press — newspapers
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. press — a publisher
  18. pop — music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — to eat with
  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