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: safe · pass · court · press · file · face · fork · pit

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. face — to confront
  4. file — a document
  5. pass — a permit
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. court — of law
  8. court — for sport
  9. press — newspapers
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pit — in a race
  12. file — a tool
  13. court — of a king
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. file — a line of people
  18. face — part of the head
  19. press — to push
  20. pit — a hole
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. face — to point toward
  23. fork — in a road
  24. pass — to spend time

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