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: clip · cap · wake · stand · temple · bear · press · pitch

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. clip — to cut
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bear — the animal
  5. clip — for paper
  6. cap — of ice
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bear — the animal
  11. press — a publisher
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cap — a hat
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. clip — a video
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. press — newspapers

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