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: ruler · fan · leaves · pitcher · bass · land · face · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. land — to come down
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bass — low music
  9. land — ground
  10. face — part of the head
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. land — a country
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. face — to point toward
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. face — to confront
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pitcher — a jug

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