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: fan · pitch · charge · fall · bay · scale · foot · ground

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. foot — a measure
  4. charge — in control
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fall — the season
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pitch — completely
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ground — a position
  23. charge — a price
  24. foot — part of the body

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