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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — completely
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. clip — a video
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. clip — to cut
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. season — in sport
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. clip — for paper
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. season — of the year
  23. pass — a permit
  24. prune — to trim

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