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: perch · deal · pitch · roll · date · game · bound · press

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. game — a match
  3. deal — to handle
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. date — the fruit
  7. bound — certain
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. press — to push
  12. perch — the fish
  13. pitch — completely
  14. roll — a list
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. game — wild animals
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. roll — a cake
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — tied together

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