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: stem · object · row · rush · pitcher · press · pit · fan

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. object — to protest
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rush — hurry
  12. press — newspapers
  13. stem — to come from
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pit — a hole
  16. press — to push
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — a thing

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