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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. scale — in music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pit — in a race
  5. squash — the sport
  6. tear — from crying
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. tear — from crying
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. scale — size or range
  19. squash — to crush
  20. object — to protest
  21. tear — to rip
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. mouse — the animal

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