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: last · racket · pitch · fork · scale · kick · tube · ground

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. last — finally
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. ground — crushed
  8. tube — a container
  9. scale — in music
  10. kick — in football
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. ground — a position
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. scale — size or range
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — final
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. ground — the earth

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