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: pitch · scale · date · foot · row · ball · present · bay

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. scale — size or range
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. foot — a measure
  6. scale — in music
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. ball — a dance
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. ball — a great time
  17. present — the time now
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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