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: stick · cold · game · pass · board · race · pitch · suit

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pitch — completely
  3. board — to get on
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cold — not warm
  6. suit — clothes
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. pass — a permit
  9. cold — an illness
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. game — a match
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. game — wild animals
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — humankind
  22. suit — in cards
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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