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: rush · bass · pitch · date · row · mouse · board · deal

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. date — the fruit
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bass — low music
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. board — a committee
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. board — to get on
  18. deal — to handle
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bass — the fish
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. board — a flat piece

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