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: pitch · current · content · safe · leaves · fan · shower · chest

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. content — happy
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. chest — of your body
  6. current — happening now
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. current — of water
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. content — the amount
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — to wash
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. current — electric
  24. pitch — completely

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