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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rush — hurry
  3. present — a gift
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rock — music
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bore — to drill
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bore — to tire
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. present — there
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. present — the time now
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pitch — completely

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