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: pitch · coach · foot · lean · shower · temple · bowl · fan

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lean — to bend
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. foot — a measure
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pitch — completely
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. shower — to wash
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. shower — rain

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