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: game · drill · press · lie · rock · coach · mate · racket

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. press — to push
  4. rock — a stone
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mate — a friend
  7. press — a publisher
  8. game — a match
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lie — to recline
  12. drill — a practice
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. press — newspapers
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. mate — a partner
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mate — to breed
  20. game — wild animals
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rock — music
  23. drill — army training
  24. coach — a trainer

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