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: fall · kick · row · bear · staff · kid · pitch · key

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — to tease
  4. row — a line
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. key — in music
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kid — child
  12. staff — a stick
  13. row — to paddle
  14. staff — employees
  15. fall — to drop
  16. staff — employees
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bear — the animal
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — a thrill

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