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: field · ball · pitch · cabinet · last · saw · ground · chip

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. last — to go on
  5. field — for sport
  6. last — finally
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. chip — for betting
  11. saw — the tool
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chip — to eat
  16. ground — a position
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. ground — crushed
  19. field — a subject
  20. last — final
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ball — a great time
  23. field — farmland
  24. ball — a dance

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