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: pass · club · racket · press · net · suit · game · wax

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. suit — in cards
  3. club — for dancing
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. game — wild animals
  7. press — newspapers
  8. club — a group
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. net — for catching
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. suit — to fit
  13. press — to push
  14. press — a publisher
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. wax — to grow
  17. net — after costs
  18. game — a match
  19. pass — a permit
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. net — in sport
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. suit — clothes

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