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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bass — low music
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — a thing
  6. craft — a skill
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. object — an aim
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. craft — boats
  19. pound — a weight
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bass — the fish
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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