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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pitch — completely
  3. mark — a trace
  4. shower — to wash
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pass — a permit
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mark — a grade
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. shower — rain
  24. pound — to hit hard

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