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: mate · chest · pitch · can · present · craft · swing · scale

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pitch — completely
  3. present — the time now
  4. swing — to play on
  5. chest — a box
  6. swing — music
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. chest — of your body
  9. can — to be able to
  10. craft — a skill
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. present — a gift
  14. swing — in golf
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. present — there
  19. craft — boats
  20. can — a tin
  21. mate — a friend
  22. scale — in music
  23. can — a tin
  24. mate — a partner

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