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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. object — an aim
  3. season — of the year
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. present — the time now
  6. ball — a great time
  7. object — a thing
  8. present — there
  9. wound — an injury
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. object — to protest
  14. ball — a dance
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wake — a trail
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. season — in sport
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pitch — completely
  24. present — a gift

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