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: pit · court · fork · bowl · face · press · stem · bay

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. press — a publisher
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. press — newspapers
  8. face — part of the head
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. face — to confront
  11. pit — in a race
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pit — a hole
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. press — to push
  20. fork — in a road
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of a king
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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