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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pitch — completely
  5. track — to keep track
  6. land — to come down
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. track — a path
  9. object — an aim
  10. rock — a stone
  11. march — the month
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. track — a song
  16. object — a thing
  17. land — a country
  18. march — the month
  19. object — to protest
  20. fine — all right
  21. land — ground
  22. march — music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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