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 120 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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spring — a coil
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. lean — thin
  6. pitch — completely
  7. spring — the season
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. track — a path
  12. lean — to bend
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. charge — a price
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. spring — of water
  21. wax — to grow
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. charge — in control
  24. arm — a part of something

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