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: cell · pass · racket · fork · firm · pop · pitch · cold

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. cold — an illness
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. pop — music
  12. fork — in a road
  13. cell — in biology
  14. pitch — completely
  15. firm — decided
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pop — soda
  18. cold — not warm
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cell — a phone
  24. pop — to visit

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