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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. suit — to fit
  4. drill — army training
  5. mine — for digging
  6. suit — clothes
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bass — low music
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — of your body
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. drill — a practice
  17. suit — in cards
  18. chest — a box
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bass — the fish
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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