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: land · stand · deal · content · pitch · leaves · patient · snap

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. land — to come down
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. content — the amount
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stand — to bear
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. land — ground
  17. deal — to handle
  18. snap — to click
  19. land — a country
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. content — happy

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