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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. net — for catching
  3. pop — music
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — after costs
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. charge — electricity
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. charge — in control
  23. fall — the season
  24. charge — a price

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