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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wound — an injury
  4. firm — a company
  5. pitch — completely
  6. field — farmland
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — to confront
  9. branch — a division
  10. firm — steady
  11. bear — the animal
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. face — part of the head
  17. field — for sport
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. firm — decided
  21. field — a subject
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. vault — a safe

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