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: chest · fan · wave · pit · pitch · saw · wake · pop

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  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. chest — of your body
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pop — music
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pitch — completely
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. chest — of your body
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. wake — a trail
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pop — soda
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. chest — a box
  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