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 · roll · board · root · stand · pound · pitch · pass

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. stand — to bear
  4. roll — a list
  5. board — a committee
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. board — to get on
  8. root — of a plant
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. root — the cause
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pass — a permit
  17. root — of a word
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. roll — a cake

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