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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pitch — completely
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. object — an aim
  13. wound — an injury
  14. drill — army training
  15. mate — a partner
  16. wound — an injury
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. squash — to crush
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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