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 120 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: season · temple · rule · pitch · press · cue · arm · tube

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. rule — a law
  5. press — a publisher
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — in sport
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. cue — a signal
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. cue — a hint
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rule — government
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pitch — completely
  22. tube — a container
  23. cue — for pool
  24. tube — the underground

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