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 · bass · ruler · bank · swing · mine · toast · degree

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — from a university
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. swing — to play on
  9. degree — an amount
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bass — low music
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. mine — for digging
  20. swing — music
  21. toast — bread
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bank — for money

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