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: mark · pitch · file · rush · stick · bowl · date · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. file — a document
  12. mark — a trace
  13. spring — of water
  14. mark — a grade
  15. spring — a coil
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bowl — to roll

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