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 · content · toast · suit · race · row · safe · root

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. suit — to fit
  3. race — a contest
  4. root — of a plant
  5. row — a line
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. content — the amount
  8. race — humankind
  9. suit — in cards
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. content — happy
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. toast — bread
  18. pitch — completely
  19. suit — clothes
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. root — the cause
  22. row — to paddle
  23. race — the arms race
  24. root — of a word

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