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 · rule · face · arm · pitch · bass · content · stand

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. face — to point toward
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bass — low music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. content — the amount
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — part of the head
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — a law
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. content — happy
  18. bass — the fish
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. face — to confront
  23. rule — government
  24. arm — part of the body

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