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: content · pitch · toast · degree · season · rock · squash · suit

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. season — in sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. squash — the sport
  9. degree — temperature
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. season — of the year
  12. rock — a stone
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pitch — completely
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. suit — clothes
  18. content — the amount
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rock — music
  21. degree — an amount
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. content — happy

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