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: nail · ball · kick · game · dip · pitcher · pass · pitch

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. dip — to sink
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. kick — in football
  9. ball — a great time
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — a permit

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