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: tube · rock · pitcher · pitch · plane · bear · rash · rush

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rock — music
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. tube — a container
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rash — a series
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. tube — the underground
  14. plane — a tool
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rash — hasty

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