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: suit · rock · hide · pitch · clip · court · pit · toast

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. toast — bread
  3. pit — in a race
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. clip — to cut
  6. suit — clothes
  7. court — of a king
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rock — a stone
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pit — a hole
  13. court — of law
  14. pitch — completely
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. clip — a video
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rock — music
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. clip — for paper
  24. suit — to fit

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