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 · face · stick · fan · bear · bass · pound · craft

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bear — the animal
  14. face — to confront
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. craft — boats
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bass — low music
  22. face — part of the head
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. craft — a skill

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