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 120 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: cold · pitch · key · ruler · pop · arm · squash · coach

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. cold — not warm
  3. squash — to crush
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cold — an illness
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pop — soda
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. squash — the sport
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pop — music
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. key — the most important part
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pitch — completely
  24. arm — part of the body

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