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: mate · chest · rush · charge · pitch · ball · foot · court

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. chest — a box
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. chest — of your body
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. charge — in control
  8. rush — hurry
  9. court — for sport
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. court — of law
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. ball — a great time
  14. court — of a king
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mate — a friend
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. foot — a measure
  23. charge — a price
  24. chest — of your body

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