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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. mug — to rob
  8. degree — an amount
  9. game — a match
  10. degree — from a university
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. game — wild animals
  16. pitch — completely
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. degree — temperature
  19. foot — a measure
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. pass — a permit
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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