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: racket · fine · land · bore · present · chair · bay · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fine — all right
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. land — ground
  7. land — to come down
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. fine — high quality
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. present — there
  17. land — a country
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. bore — gave birth

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