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: charge · snap · leaves · bay · track · bowl · pitch · pop

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pop — music
  4. charge — a price
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. track — a song
  8. snap — to click
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pitch — completely
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. pop — soda
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. track — a path
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. charge — in control
  24. bowl — a football final

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