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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. fall — to drop
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. pitch — completely
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. key — in music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ground — the earth
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. ground — crushed
  20. fall — the season
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — for a lock
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ground — a position

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