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: pitcher · coach · stand · band · cap · squash · pitch · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cap — of ice
  4. squash — to crush
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. cap — a hat
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. stand — to bear
  16. pitch — completely
  17. band — a music group
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. band — a ring
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. cue — a hint
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cap — a lid

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