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: land · press · chip · pit · cabinet · field · file · jam

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. press — a publisher
  3. pit — a hole
  4. land — ground
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. field — farmland
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chip — for betting
  12. press — newspapers
  13. field — a subject
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. pit — in a race
  16. file — a line of people
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. land — a country
  19. press — to push
  20. field — for sport
  21. file — a tool
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. file — a document
  24. chip — to eat

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