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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. kid — child
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pass — a permit
  6. fall — the season
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. kid — to tease
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. scale — size or range
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mark — a trace
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. scale — in music
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bore — to tire

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