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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. swing — music
  4. mine — for digging
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pitch — completely
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. object — an aim
  12. swing — to play on
  13. board — a committee
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. swing — in golf
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. board — to get on
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — in a race
  24. object — a thing

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