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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The players ran onto 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. march — the month
  3. pit — in a race
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. firm — steady
  6. pitch — completely
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. firm — decided
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. shower — rain
  12. march — the month
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. capital — a city
  16. pit — a hole
  17. capital — money
  18. lie — to recline
  19. march — music
  20. shower — to wash
  21. firm — a company
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pitch — a sports field

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