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: band · pitch · pound · track · temple · ground · chair · net

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. net — in sport
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. track — a song
  7. ground — crushed
  8. chair — a leader
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. track — a path
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. ground — the earth
  13. band — a ring
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. net — after costs
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. net — for catching
  22. track — to keep track
  23. pound — a weight
  24. ground — a position

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