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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. drill — the tool
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. current — electric
  7. object — an aim
  8. squash — the sport
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pitch — completely
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. current — happening now
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — a thing
  17. squash — to crush
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. drill — a practice
  22. current — of water
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. drill — army training

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