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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pitch — completely
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. swing — to play on
  5. track — a song
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. swing — music
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bore — to drill
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. swing — in golf
  20. track — to keep track
  21. snap — to click
  22. bore — to tire
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. track — a path

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