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: stand · rash · racket · press · jam · sharp · field · file

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. field — a subject
  3. file — a tool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rash — a series
  6. file — a document
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rash — hasty
  11. press — newspapers
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. press — a publisher
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. press — to push
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — farmland
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. file — a line of people

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