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 · track · hide · mine · nail · ground · lie · calf

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pitch — completely
  3. mine — for digging
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. ground — a position
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. track — a path
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. lie — to recline
  19. ground — the earth
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. track — to keep track
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. ground — crushed

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