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: sharp · press · chip · pitcher · drill · march · suit · stem

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. press — a publisher
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. drill — a practice
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. suit — in cards
  11. march — the month
  12. chip — to eat
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. press — newspapers
  15. march — the month
  16. suit — clothes
  17. march — music
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. drill — army training
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. press — to push

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