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: press · land · pitcher · mark · perch · content · bay · pit

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — a country
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. press — newspapers
  5. perch — the fish
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. press — a publisher
  10. content — the amount
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pit — a hole
  13. land — ground
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pit — in a race
  20. press — to push
  21. content — happy
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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