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: swing · kid · pitch · degree · deal · prune · can · rock

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. degree — an amount
  3. swing — music
  4. pitch — completely
  5. kid — to tease
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. can — to be able to
  8. prune — to trim
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. degree — temperature
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. degree — from a university
  19. kid — child
  20. can — a tin
  21. swing — in golf
  22. can — a tin
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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