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: field · firm · kick · cell · suit · capital · pitch · nail

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. field — for sport
  4. pitch — completely
  5. capital — a city
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. firm — steady
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cell — in biology
  13. firm — a company
  14. field — a subject
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. suit — to fit
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. capital — money
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. firm — decided
  22. cell — a phone
  23. suit — clothes
  24. field — farmland

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