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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. ball — a great time
  5. suit — clothes
  6. court — for sport
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. suit — to fit
  11. court — of a king
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. band — a music group
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. court — of law
  18. bear — the animal
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. band — a ring
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. suit — in cards

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