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: tube · racket · rest · press · net · bass · club · content

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. club — a group
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rest — what's left
  6. press — to push
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. tube — the underground
  11. net — after costs
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. net — in sport
  15. tube — a container
  16. bass — low music
  17. club — for golf
  18. content — happy
  19. bass — the fish
  20. press — a publisher
  21. content — the amount
  22. club — for dancing
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. net — for catching

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