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 got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. drill — army training
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. drill — a practice
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. row — to paddle
  13. key — in music
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. row — a line
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. drill — the tool
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — help
  24. bulb — for light

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