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: spell · pitch · racket · hide · game · stand · kid · current

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. kid — to tease
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. kid — child
  10. stand — to bear
  11. spell — letters
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. spell — magic
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. game — wild animals
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pitch — completely

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