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: rest · pitch · hide · bay · rule · face · field · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — a company
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. field — a subject
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rule — a law
  9. rest — what's left
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. field — farmland
  13. firm — steady
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rule — government
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. field — for sport
  19. rest — a break
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pitch — a sports field

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