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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. squash — the sport
  4. scale — in music
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ground — a position
  9. fine — all right
  10. ground — the earth
  11. fine — high quality
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. ground — crushed
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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