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 116 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: wave · squash · pitch · lean · rock · nail · present · chip

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. squash — to crush
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rock — music
  7. present — there
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitch — completely
  10. present — the time now
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. chip — for betting
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. rock — a stone
  23. squash — the sport
  24. present — a gift

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