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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. content — the amount
  3. craft — boats
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wax — to grow
  8. craft — a skill
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pit — a hole
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pitch — completely
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. mark — a trace
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. row — a line
  24. content — happy

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