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: pitch · current · suit · cabinet · hide · press · stick · file

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. current — of water
  3. pitch — completely
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. press — to push
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. suit — to fit
  11. current — electric
  12. suit — in cards
  13. file — a tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. file — a document
  16. press — newspapers
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. current — happening now
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. press — a publisher
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. suit — clothes

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