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 120 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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lean — thin
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. object — to protest
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pit — in a race
  9. object — an aim
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. object — a thing
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. leaves — to go away

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