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 · jam · hand · calf · squash · face · present

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. face — to point toward
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. hand — in cards
  8. face — to confront
  9. present — a gift
  10. scale — size or range
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pitch — completely
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. scale — in music
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. squash — to crush
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. hand — help
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. squash — the sport
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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