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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: shower · pitch · dip · press · tear · key

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pitch — completely
  5. dip — to sink
  6. press — newspapers
  7. key — for a lock
  8. shower — rain
  9. key — the most important part
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. press — to push
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. key — in music
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. tear — from crying
  17. press — a publisher
  18. dip — to dunk

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