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: spell · squash · march · game · pop · firm · pitch · arm

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. squash — the vegetable
  2. spell — a short time
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. squash — the sport
  5. pop — soda
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pitch — completely
  8. spell — magic
  9. firm — decided
  10. game — wild animals
  11. firm — steady
  12. game — a match
  13. march — the month
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. spell — letters
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. firm — a company
  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