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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. wound — an injury
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. rest — a break
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. swing — music

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