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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chair — a leader
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wake — a trail
  12. rest — what's left
  13. squash — to crush
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. squash — the sport
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. pitch — completely
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. mate — a friend
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rest — a break
  24. mouse — the animal

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