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 · lean · rush · bat · last · band · mug · stand

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bat — the animal
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. band — a music group
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. last — finally
  9. mug — to rob
  10. band — a ring
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. last — to go on
  16. mug — a face
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mug — a cup

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