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 · season · tube · coach · mate · ruler · mine · leaves

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. mate — a friend
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. season — of the year
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mate — a partner
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. tube — a container
  16. mine — for digging
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. mate — to breed
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. ruler — for measuring

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