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: club · last · tear · kick · pitcher · mark · press · capital

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. press — newspapers
  4. club — a group
  5. tear — from crying
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. mark — a trace
  8. press — to push
  9. capital — money
  10. last — finally
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. last — to go on
  14. tear — from crying
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. capital — a city
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. last — final
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mark — a grade
  23. tear — to rip
  24. press — a publisher

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