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 · mug · season · bear · squash · prune · pound · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. season — in sport
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. pound — a weight
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mug — to rob
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mug — a face
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pitch — completely
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. prune — to trim
  21. season — of the year
  22. squash — the sport
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bear — to put up with

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