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: key · wake · mark · bowl · squash · press · bay · net

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. net — after costs
  3. wake — a trail
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. mark — a trace
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. squash — the sport
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. press — a publisher
  13. net — for catching
  14. mark — a grade
  15. press — newspapers
  16. net — in sport
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. key — for a lock
  21. press — to push
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bowl — a football final

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