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

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. press — newspapers
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. press — a publisher
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. file — a line of people
  10. stock — goods
  11. wind — moving air
  12. vault — a safe
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. stock — shares
  15. staff — employees
  16. file — a tool
  17. press — to push
  18. pitch — completely
  19. staff — a stick
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. file — a document
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. staff — employees

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