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: bass · press · cap · fall · nail · pit · sharp · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. sharp — clever
  4. fall — to drop
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fall — the season
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pit — in a race
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pit — a hole
  18. press — to push
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. press — a publisher
  22. cap — of ice
  23. press — newspapers
  24. fall — to drop

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