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: pitcher · present · cap · fan · pitch · board · fine · rush

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. present — a gift
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rush — hurry
  5. present — there
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. cap — a hat
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. cap — a lid
  14. present — the time now
  15. board — a committee
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pitch — completely
  18. fine — all right
  19. cap — of ice
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. fine — high quality

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