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

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bank — for money
  5. game — a match
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bound — certain
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bound — obliged
  13. game — wild animals
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pitch — completely
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bound — tied together
  24. pitch — a sports field

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