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 · ball · bay · jam · rule · fine · race · temple

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fine — all right
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pitch — completely
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. fine — high quality
  11. rule — a law
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. race — the arms race
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. rule — government
  19. race — humankind
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ball — a dance
  22. race — a contest
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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