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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. chip — for betting
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. spring — the season
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chip — to eat
  12. spring — of water
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. ball — a dance
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. spring — a coil
  19. track — a path
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stem — to come from
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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