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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  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. row — a line
  2. pitch — completely
  3. track — a song
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. object — to protest
  7. cold — not warm
  8. object — a thing
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. pass — a permit
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. track — a path
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. object — an aim
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. cold — an illness
  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