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 · squash · coach · bound · rash · press · racket · rush

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rash — hasty
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — obliged
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bound — tied together
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. squash — to crush
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rash — a series
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. press — to push

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