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: pitcher · stick · swing · saw · deal · vault · jam · degree

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. saw — the tool
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. saw — the tool
  11. degree — from a university
  12. deal — to handle
  13. swing — music
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. degree — temperature
  18. swing — in golf
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. vault — a safe
  24. swing — to play on

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