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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pop — soda
  5. sharp — clever
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pit — a hole
  8. can — to be able to
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pop — music
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. can — a tin
  14. land — ground
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. land — a country
  17. pop — to visit
  18. can — a tin
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pit — in a race
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. land — to come down

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