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 116 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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. march — music
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stand — to bear
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. march — the month
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. march — the month
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. charge — in control
  23. kick — in football
  24. charge — a price

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