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: leaves · pitcher · temple · spell · swing · jam · pit · press

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. pit — a hole
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. swing — in golf
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. spell — magic
  15. swing — music
  16. press — to push
  17. spell — letters
  18. pit — in a race
  19. spell — a short time
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. temple — a place of worship

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