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: staff · pitch · chair · craft · mark · bass · lie · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. staff — employees
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. mark — a trace
  10. key — the most important part
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. key — for a lock
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mark — a grade
  17. staff — employees
  18. lie — to recline
  19. craft — boats
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bass — low music

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