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 116 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: wake · swing · wound · ground · mark · court · pass · pitcher

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mark — a grade
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ground — crushed
  9. swing — in golf
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. wake — a trail
  14. court — for sport
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. court — of a king
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mark — a trace
  20. ground — a position
  21. court — of law
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pass — to succeed
  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