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: squash · pitch · fork · perch · arm · jam · can · season

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. squash — the sport
  5. can — a tin
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. season — in sport
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. season — of the year
  11. fork — in a road
  12. pitch — completely
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. perch — the fish
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. squash — to crush
  24. perch — for a bird

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