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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitch — completely
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mine — for digging
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mark — a trace
  15. shower — rain
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bank — for money
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rock — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bank — of a river

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