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: trunk · press · pitch · date · rush · pit · cue · racket

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. press — to push
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pit — in a race
  9. press — newspapers
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. cue — a signal
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. cue — a hint
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. date — the fruit
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cue — for pool

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