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 · fan · stem · foot · wound · tube · pit · mouse

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. stem — to come from
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pit — in a race
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pit — a hole
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. foot — a measure
  24. mouse — for a computer

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