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 · cue · row · rule · roll · arm · mouse · present

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rule — government
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. present — there
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. roll — a cake
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. rule — a law
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. present — the time now
  14. roll — a list
  15. pitch — completely
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. present — a gift
  18. cue — a signal
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a line
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cue — for pool
  24. rule — to rule out

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