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 · band · track · ball · roll · stick · plane · squash

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. ball — a dance
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. squash — to crush
  6. plane — a tool
  7. roll — a cake
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. track — a song
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. band — a ring
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. track — a path
  14. ball — a great time
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. squash — the sport
  20. roll — a list
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pitch — completely

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