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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — in football
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. can — a tin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. chest — a box
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. can — to be able to
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. can — a tin
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. stand — to bear
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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