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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. current — of water
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. club — for golf
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. pitch — completely
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. scale — in music
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — electric
  19. club — a group
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bat — the animal
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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