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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. hand — in cards
  8. scale — in music
  9. mine — for digging
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. scale — size or range
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. march — the month
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. hand — help
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. march — music
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. march — the month
  24. stand — to bear

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