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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. staff — employees
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. club — a group
  9. foot — a measure
  10. sharp — clever
  11. last — to go on
  12. pitch — completely
  13. club — for golf
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. club — for dancing
  16. mate — a friend
  17. last — finally
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. mate — to breed
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. staff — employees
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mate — a partner
  24. staff — a stick

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