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: cue · board · shower · coach · pitch · temple · race · pass

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. board — to get on
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. race — a contest
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pass — a permit
  10. shower — rain
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. board — a committee
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. race — humankind
  17. pitch — completely
  18. cue — a signal
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. cue — for pool
  21. shower — to wash
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. race — the arms race
  24. temple — a place of worship

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