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: pitch · saw · arm · fine · hand · firm · key · press

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. press — to push
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. hand — help
  5. fine — high quality
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. firm — decided
  10. fine — all right
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — newspapers
  13. firm — steady
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. firm — a company
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pitch — completely
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. hand — in cards
  24. arm — part of the body

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