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 · ruler · track · game · bay · ground · fine · last

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. track — to keep track
  5. ground — a position
  6. last — final
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. last — finally
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. last — to go on
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ground — the earth
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pitch — completely
  19. track — a path
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ground — crushed
  23. fine — all right
  24. track — a song

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