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 116 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. march — the month
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bat — the animal
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. wound — an injury
  13. march — music
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. march — the month
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pit — in a race

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