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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. stand — to bear
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wind — moving air
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. wind — moving air
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — of the year
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. staff — employees
  20. pitch — completely
  21. staff — employees
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pass — a permit
  24. vault — a safe

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