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 116 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: pitch · racket · clip · craft · ground · lie · pop · bear

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bear — the animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pop — music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. clip — a video
  16. clip — for paper
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pitch — completely
  21. ground — crushed
  22. pop — soda
  23. craft — boats
  24. lie — an untruth

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