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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. capital — money
  3. bat — the animal
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pass — a permit
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pitch — completely
  12. staff — employees
  13. lie — to recline
  14. firm — steady
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. content — the amount
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. capital — a city
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. content — happy
  23. staff — employees
  24. firm — decided

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