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: press · jam · temple · lean · mark · bulb · pitch · degree

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. lean — thin
  6. mark — a grade
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — an amount
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bulb — for light
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. lean — to bend
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. press — newspapers
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. press — to push

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