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: fine · coach · deal · squash · bass · pitch

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fine — high quality
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fine — all right
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bass — low music
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. squash — to crush
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. deal — to handle
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bass — the fish

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