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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. root — of a plant
  6. court — for sport
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pit — a hole
  9. root — the cause
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. charge — in control
  13. court — of law
  14. pitch — completely
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. court — of a king
  17. pit — in a race
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bat — the animal
  22. root — of a word
  23. charge — a price
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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