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 116 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: club · mark · pitcher · net · pitch · present · dip · wave

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. club — a group
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. club — for golf
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. net — for catching
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. present — the time now
  19. club — for dancing
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mark — a grade
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. present — there
  24. present — a gift

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