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: ground · bowl · hide · pitch · ball · sharp · safe · row

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. sharp — clever
  3. ball — a dance
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ground — a position
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — completely
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. row — a line
  22. row — to paddle
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. hide — animal skin

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