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: saw · pitcher · bat · pitch · squash · pit · straw · ruler

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — completely
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ruler — for measuring

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