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: mug · pit · bank · racket · pitch · cap · date · scale

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bank — for money
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pitch — completely
  6. scale — in music
  7. mug — a cup
  8. scale — size or range
  9. cap — a lid
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mug — a face
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. date — the fruit
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. cap — of ice
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. date — on the calendar

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