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's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. row — to paddle
  3. field — farmland
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. field — a subject
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fine — high quality
  8. row — a line
  9. tear — from crying
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. suit — clothes
  13. tear — from crying
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. deal — to handle
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. tear — to rip
  19. pitch — completely
  20. suit — in cards
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fine — all right
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. field — for sport

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