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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. board — to get on
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rule — government
  19. fork — in a road
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. board — a committee
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rule — a law
  24. stem — a stem cell

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