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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bore — to tire
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. key — in music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. band — a ring
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pitch — completely
  20. wound — an injury
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. band — a music 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