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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. net — after costs
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. wake — a trail
  6. key — the most important part
  7. kick — in football
  8. net — in sport
  9. firm — decided
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. last — final
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. last — to go on
  15. pitch — completely
  16. deal — to handle
  17. net — for catching
  18. firm — a company
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. last — finally
  23. firm — steady
  24. kick — a thrill

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