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: pit · field · pitcher · swing · hide · kick · stick · jam

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. swing — in golf
  8. field — for sport
  9. swing — music
  10. pit — a hole
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. kick — in football
  13. field — a subject
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. field — farmland
  17. pit — in a race
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. swing — to play on
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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