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: land · ball · pitch · hand · rest · pit · bass · firm

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pit — a hole
  4. rest — what's left
  5. firm — steady
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. firm — a company
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pit — in a race
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bass — low music
  12. rest — a break
  13. firm — decided
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. hand — help
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. land — a country
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. ball — a dance
  22. land — ground
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. land — to come down

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