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: pitch · stick · date · cabinet · sharp · press · mouse · chair

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. press — a publisher
  7. date — the fruit
  8. press — newspapers
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. pitch — completely
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. sharp — clever
  15. press — to push
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. chair — a leader
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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