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 116 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pop — soda
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. press — to push
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. press — newspapers
  16. stand — to bear
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pop — music
  22. branch — a division
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pop — to visit

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