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: stand · foot · coach · object · clip · deal · current · pitch

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. object — a thing
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. clip — a video
  7. foot — a measure
  8. current — electric
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. stand — to bear
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pitch — completely
  13. clip — for paper
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. object — to protest
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. clip — to cut
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. object — an aim
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. current — happening now

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