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 120 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: pit · pitch · march · stem · stick · band · face · cap

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. band — a ring
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pit — a hole
  6. face — to point toward
  7. pitch — completely
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. march — music
  13. cap — a hat
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. march — the month
  16. face — to confront
  17. pit — in a race
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. band — a music group

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