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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fall — the season
  3. track — to keep track
  4. board — a committee
  5. track — a song
  6. can — a tin
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. board — to get on
  9. track — a path
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fall — to drop
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fall — to drop
  16. snap — to click
  17. rest — a break
  18. season — of the year
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. season — in sport

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