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: pitch · file · kick · safe · pit · sharp · rock · bay

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. file — a document
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. rock — music
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pit — in a race
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. file — a line of people
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pit — a hole
  14. kick — in football
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rock — a stone
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. file — a tool
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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