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: mate · pound · pitch · drill · charge · sharp · pop · jam

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pop — soda
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pop — music
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a friend
  13. charge — in control
  14. drill — army training
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. sharp — clever
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. charge — a price
  19. pop — to visit
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. pound — a weight
  24. charge — electricity

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