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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. charge — a price
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. cue — for pool
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. march — the month
  11. object — a thing
  12. march — the month
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. charge — in control
  19. march — music
  20. charge — electricity
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. cue — a signal

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