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: chest · plane · pitch · court · game · bank · stand · present

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. game — wild animals
  5. pitch — completely
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — of law
  8. present — there
  9. stand — to bear
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. plane — a tool
  12. present — a gift
  13. court — for sport
  14. bank — for money
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bank — of a river
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. game — a match
  22. present — the time now
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bank — for money

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