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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. spring — the season
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pass — a permit
  6. staff — employees
  7. cue — a hint
  8. staff — a stick
  9. spring — a coil
  10. pitch — completely
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cue — for pool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. spring — of water

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