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 124 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. prune — to trim
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. cell — in biology
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. suit — to fit
  13. tear — from crying
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lie — to recline
  18. tear — from crying
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. cell — a phone
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. cell — in a prison

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