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: deal · pitcher · swing · sharp · jam · clip · scale · stick

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. scale — in music
  5. clip — to cut
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. scale — size or range
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. clip — for paper
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. clip — a video
  21. swing — in golf
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. sharp — clever

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