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 120 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pound — a weight
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — a series
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. nail — for a hammer

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