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: squash · content · fan · pitch · safe · scale · perch · ruler

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. content — the amount
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. squash — the sport
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. scale — size or range
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. scale — in music
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pitch — completely
  20. content — happy
  21. perch — the fish
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. squash — to crush

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