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 120 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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. track — a song
  4. board — a committee
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pitch — completely
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. board — to get on
  16. track — a path
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. ball — a dance
  22. stand — to bear
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. stand — on your feet

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