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: rock · rest · arm · mug · racket · snap · pitch · date

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rest — what's left
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mug — a cup
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mug — a face
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rock — music
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rock — a stone
  22. snap — to click
  23. date — the fruit
  24. pitch — a sports field

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