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 120 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: rock · pitch · stem · ball · racket · firm · temple · march

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. rock — a stone
  3. march — the month
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. firm — steady
  6. ball — a great time
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. march — music
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. firm — a company
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. firm — decided
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pitch — completely
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. march — the month

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