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: safe · coach · pitch · key · mine · file · wind · pit

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mine — for digging
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. file — a document
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pitch — completely
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. file — a tool
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. key — in music
  19. wind — moving air
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pit — a hole
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wind — moving air

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