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 120 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: mate · leaves · pitch · stick · tube · ground · suit · field

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mate — a friend
  4. suit — in cards
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — for sport
  15. ground — a position
  16. mate — a partner
  17. suit — clothes
  18. tube — a container
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. mate — to breed
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — the earth

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