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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pit — a hole
  7. hand — in cards
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. press — a publisher
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. hand — help
  14. bank — for money
  15. press — newspapers
  16. stand — to bear
  17. tear — to rip
  18. press — to push
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. toast — bread

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