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: lie · chip · bound · press · pitch · leaves · fine · track

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. press — to push
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. track — a path
  5. bound — certain
  6. press — a publisher
  7. track — to keep track
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. chip — to eat
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bound — obliged
  18. track — a song
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pitch — completely
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bound — tied together

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