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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. land — to come down
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — bread
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lean — thin
  13. land — a country
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. pitch — completely
  18. mate — a partner
  19. lean — to bend
  20. land — ground
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. lash — an eyelash

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