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: charge · press · rest · chest · jam · scale · safe · pitch

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. chest — a box
  4. scale — size or range
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chest — of your body
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rest — what's left
  14. press — to push
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. charge — electricity
  17. chest — of your body
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. press — a publisher
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — completely
  23. scale — in music
  24. press — newspapers

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