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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mark — a trace
  8. ground — the earth
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. chest — of your body
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. ground — a position
  24. chest — a box

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