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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bank — of a river
  5. chair — a leader
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. staff — employees
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bank — for money
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bank — for money
  14. staff — a stick
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. dip — to sink
  18. staff — employees
  19. wind — moving air
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wind — moving air
  24. ruler — a monarch

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