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 120 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. can — a tin
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. object — an aim
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. cue — a signal
  12. object — to protest
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pound — a weight
  15. kick — in football
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. can — a tin
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. can — to be able to
  23. object — a thing
  24. cap — of ice

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