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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fall — the season
  4. present — there
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. suit — to fit
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. saw — the tool
  10. present — the time now
  11. pitch — completely
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. present — a gift
  20. row — a line
  21. fall — to drop
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. suit — clothes

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