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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. press — newspapers
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pit — in a race
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. press — to push
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. scale — size or range
  16. snap — to click
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rock — music
  20. press — a publisher
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. rock — a stone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. scale — in music

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