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: cap · pass · court · press · pitch · coach · bear · root

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cap — a lid
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. press — to push
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. press — a publisher
  8. court — of law
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. root — of a word
  11. bear — the animal
  12. court — for sport
  13. root — the cause
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. court — of a king
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pass — a permit
  21. root — of a plant
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bear — the animal

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