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: temple · safe · wind · tube · pitch · mine · pass · board

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. board — a committee
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wind — moving air
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. board — to get on
  7. tube — the underground
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mine — for digging
  18. wind — moving air
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. tube — a container

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