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: ground · vault · pit · wave · club · mug · field · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. ground — crushed
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. field — for sport
  5. club — for dancing
  6. mug — to rob
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pit — a hole
  9. field — farmland
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. ground — a position
  12. pit — in a race
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. club — for golf
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. field — a subject
  18. mug — a face
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — a safe
  21. ground — the earth
  22. club — a group
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mug — a cup

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