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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. hand — help
  12. rule — a law
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. hand — in cards
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. rule — government
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. safe — a strongbox

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