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: march · toast · pound · pitch · pit · bass · kick · bay

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. kick — in football
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. march — the month
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. march — music
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pit — a hole
  23. march — the month
  24. bass — low music

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