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: mouse · bowl · pitch · pit · season · snap · spell · patient

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. spell — a short time
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. season — in sport
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. pit — a hole
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. spell — letters
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. season — of the year
  15. snap — to click
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pit — in a race
  18. spell — magic
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitch — completely

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