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: board · court · pitch · bass · rock · stand · object · pop

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. court — of law
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. object — a thing
  10. board — to get on
  11. court — of a king
  12. pop — music
  13. object — an aim
  14. board — a committee
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pop — soda
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bass — low music
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pitch — completely
  21. rock — a stone
  22. object — to protest
  23. court — for sport
  24. pop — to visit

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