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 116 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: bay · press · game · pit · cell · rock · key · current

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. key — in music
  6. press — a publisher
  7. key — for a lock
  8. pit — in a race
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rock — music
  11. current — electric
  12. game — a match
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. current — of water
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. press — newspapers
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. cell — a phone
  21. current — happening now
  22. rock — a stone
  23. cell — in biology
  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