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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. key — for a lock
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cell — a phone
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. press — to push
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chip — to eat
  17. press — a publisher
  18. cell — in biology
  19. pit — a hole
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. press — newspapers
  23. plane — a tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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