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: content · cabinet · stick · pitch · suit · club · cold · pitcher

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. content — the amount
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cold — an illness
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. club — a group
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. club — for golf
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. content — happy
  24. club — for dancing

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