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: snap · net · mouse · pitch · mug · mark · field · ball

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. field — for sport
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — completely
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. net — for catching
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mug — a cup
  11. net — after costs
  12. snap — to click
  13. field — a subject
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mug — a face
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. field — farmland
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. net — in sport

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