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 116 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 · pitch · game · wound · charge · deal · stem · bay

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. game — wild animals
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. pitch — completely
  8. charge — a price
  9. game — a match
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. field — farmland
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — for sport
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. charge — in control
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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