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 116 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. field — a subject
  7. mug — a face
  8. field — for sport
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — to push
  12. mug — a cup
  13. last — finally
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. kick — in football
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. last — to go on
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mug — to rob
  21. press — a publisher
  22. last — final
  23. deal — to handle
  24. field — farmland

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