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: cue · ground · press · lie · court · key · pitch · mug

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pitch — completely
  4. ground — the earth
  5. press — to push
  6. mug — a face
  7. ground — a position
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mug — a cup
  12. press — a publisher
  13. lie — to recline
  14. press — newspapers
  15. cue — a signal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. key — in music
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. cue — a hint
  21. court — of law
  22. ground — crushed
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mug — to rob

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