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: mark · trunk · saw · squash · mate · foot · tube · pitch

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mate — to breed
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. tube — a container
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pitch — completely
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. foot — a measure
  12. squash — to crush
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. mark — a grade
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. tube — the underground
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. mate — a partner
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. mate — a friend

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