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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. sharp — clever
  3. press — a publisher
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. press — to push
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pit — in a race
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. staff — employees
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. hand — help
  15. staff — employees
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. press — newspapers
  21. hand — in cards
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pit — a hole
  24. chair — a professorship

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