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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. swing — to play on
  3. rush — hurry
  4. game — a match
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mate — to breed
  7. swing — in golf
  8. field — a subject
  9. lean — to bend
  10. key — the most important part
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. mate — a partner
  13. field — for sport
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mate — a friend
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. game — wild animals
  19. key — in music
  20. lean — thin
  21. field — farmland
  22. swing — music
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. key — for a lock

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