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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. cue — for pool
  3. club — for golf
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. cue — a hint
  6. field — for sport
  7. pitch — completely
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. club — for dancing
  12. field — a subject
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. field — farmland
  17. sharp — clever
  18. object — an aim
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cue — a signal
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. object — a thing
  23. firm — a company
  24. club — a group

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