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 · squash · ruler · last · bay · cell · craft · capital

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. craft — a skill
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. craft — boats
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. capital — a city
  9. cell — a phone
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. last — final
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. capital — money
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. last — to go on
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. last — finally
  20. cell — in biology
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pitch — a sports field

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