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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bat — the animal
  6. present — there
  7. pitch — completely
  8. toast — bread
  9. band — a music group
  10. present — a gift
  11. key — the most important part
  12. band — a ring
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. suit — in cards
  15. key — for a lock
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. key — in music
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. suit — clothes
  21. present — the time now
  22. pit — a hole
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. suit — to fit

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