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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. land — a country
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bound — tied together
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for dancing
  10. track — a path
  11. club — for golf
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. land — to come down
  14. toast — bread
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. track — a song
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pound — a weight
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. land — ground
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. snap — to click

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