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: wax · date · pitch · land · bay · safe · rock · toast

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. toast — bread
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wax — to grow
  15. rock — music
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — ground
  18. rock — a stone
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. date — the fruit
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. land — a country

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