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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. rock — a stone
  4. foot — a measure
  5. club — a group
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mark — a grade
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mark — a trace
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. clip — a video
  16. mine — for digging
  17. clip — to cut
  18. club — for golf
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. clip — for paper
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rock — music

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