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: craft · toast · firm · pit · file · pitch

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. firm — decided
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. firm — a company
  8. file — a tool
  9. pit — in a race
  10. firm — steady
  11. file — a line of people
  12. pitch — completely
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. file — a document
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. craft — a skill
  18. toast — bread

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