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 120 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: club · bass · stand · pit · press · spell · march · leaves

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. march — the month
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — newspapers
  5. spell — magic
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. march — music
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — for golf
  11. march — the month
  12. club — a group
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bass — the fish
  15. spell — a short time
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bass — low music
  19. spell — letters
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. press — to push
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bass — the instrument

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