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: temple · pitch · bass · mark · arm · leaves · key · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. jam — a tight spot
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — low music
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. key — in music
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. key — for a lock
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  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