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: row · racket · chest · bass · bear · land · pitch · charge

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. land — to come down
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bass — the fish
  10. charge — in control
  11. pitch — completely
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. chest — of your body
  15. charge — a price
  16. bear — the animal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. chest — a box
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. land — a country
  21. land — ground
  22. row — a line
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bass — low music

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