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: rash · sharp · pitch · cabinet · saw · bore · roll · last

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. saw — the tool
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — finally
  5. rash — a series
  6. roll — a cake
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rash — hasty
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. sharp — clever
  14. saw — the tool
  15. last — final
  16. roll — a list
  17. bore — to drill
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bore — to tire
  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