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: vault · press · mug · pass · land · patient · foot · pitcher

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. land — to come down
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. foot — a measure
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. land — a country
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mug — a face
  15. pass — a permit
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mug — to rob
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. press — to push
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. land — ground
  24. pitcher — a jug

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