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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bat — the animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bear — the animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. band — a music group
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a rubber band

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