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: jam · sharp · wound · pitcher · pit · march · squash · bank

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. march — the month
  5. squash — to crush
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wound — an injury
  8. march — music
  9. squash — the sport
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. march — the month
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bank — for money
  15. pit — a hole
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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