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: track · scale · pitch · band · fine · bowl · lie · sharp

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. bowl — to roll
  2. scale — in music
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. band — a ring
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. track — a song
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lie — to recline
  12. sharp — clever
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pitch — completely
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. band — a music group
  19. fine — all right
  20. track — a path
  21. fine — high quality
  22. track — to keep track
  23. lie — an untruth
  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