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: net · firm · object · track · lean · snap · pitch · press

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. lean — thin
  4. press — a publisher
  5. object — an aim
  6. snap — to click
  7. track — a path
  8. press — to push
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — a company
  11. pitch — completely
  12. net — for catching
  13. track — a song
  14. firm — decided
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. object — a thing
  17. net — in sport
  18. press — newspapers
  19. object — to protest
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. track — to keep track
  24. lean — to bend

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