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 116 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 · file · fall · sharp · wound · mine · bound · key

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. sharp — clever
  3. key — in music
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bound — certain
  6. wound — an injury
  7. fall — to drop
  8. key — the most important part
  9. file — a document
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. file — a line of people
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mine — for digging
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bound — tied together
  20. fall — the season
  21. file — a tool
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mine — belonging to me

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