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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · rest · toast · net · drill · pitch

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. net — after costs
  3. rest — a break
  4. pitch — completely
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. object — an aim
  7. drill — army training
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rest — what's left
  11. net — in sport
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. toast — bread
  14. drill — the tool
  15. object — a thing
  16. drill — a practice
  17. net — for catching
  18. rest — what's left

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