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 · suit · straw · mouse · object · fine · land · chair

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. object — to protest
  3. suit — to fit
  4. land — ground
  5. land — a country
  6. pitch — completely
  7. object — an aim
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. object — a thing
  15. fine — all right
  16. land — to come down
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. fine — high quality
  20. suit — clothes
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. straw — dry grass

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