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: pitch · scale · mug · lash · court · lean · march · bound

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mug — a face
  5. march — the month
  6. court — for sport
  7. march — music
  8. bound — obliged
  9. court — of law
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mug — a cup
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. scale — in music
  16. bound — tied together
  17. lean — thin
  18. bound — certain
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. court — of a king
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mug — to rob
  24. scale — size or range

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