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: current · tube · mine · toast · mate · stick · pass · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. current — electric
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. tube — the underground
  6. current — of water
  7. mate — a partner
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — a container
  10. mine — for digging
  11. toast — bread
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. current — happening now
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mate — to breed
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mine — belonging to me

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