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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. object — an aim
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. field — farmland
  5. object — a thing
  6. rest — a break
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. pitch — completely
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. field — a subject
  12. rest — what's left
  13. band — a music group
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. field — for sport
  22. band — a ring
  23. deal — to handle
  24. object — to protest

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