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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. race — the arms race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. scale — size or range
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. chair — a leader
  9. scale — in music
  10. net — after costs
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. staff — employees
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — for catching
  18. race — humankind
  19. staff — employees
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pitch — completely
  22. staff — a stick
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. race — a contest

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