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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. pound — to hit hard
  2. file — a document
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. file — a line of people
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. staff — a stick
  7. press — a publisher
  8. face — to point toward
  9. pound — a weight
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. staff — employees
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pitch — completely
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rush — hurry
  16. chair — a leader
  17. staff — employees
  18. press — newspapers
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. file — a tool
  21. face — to confront
  22. press — to push
  23. rush — a thrill
  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