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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. can — to be able to
  3. tear — to rip
  4. rash — a series
  5. mate — to breed
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. tear — from crying
  10. spring — of water
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. cue — a hint
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mate — a friend
  18. tear — from crying
  19. spring — the season
  20. mate — a partner
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. spring — a coil
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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