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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fall — to drop
  13. club — for golf
  14. row — a line
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pitch — completely
  18. key — in music
  19. club — a group
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fall — to drop
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. fall — the season

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