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: ground · saw · date · pitch · ruler · hand · roll · pound

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. date — the fruit
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. saw — the tool
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. ground — crushed
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. ground — a position
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — in cards
  21. pitch — completely
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — a cake
  24. ground — the earth

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