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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rest — what's left
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. field — a subject
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rest — what's left
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. field — farmland
  17. pass — a permit
  18. vault — a safe
  19. rest — a break
  20. mine — for digging
  21. field — for sport
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. racket — a loud noise

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