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: nail · deal · field · pitch · hide · bay · fork · squash

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. field — farmland
  5. fork — in a road
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pitch — completely
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. field — a subject
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. field — for sport

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