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 · saw · face · squash · rock · last · pitcher · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. face — part of the head
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pitch — completely
  8. spell — a short time
  9. squash — to crush
  10. face — to confront
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — final
  17. spell — magic
  18. last — finally
  19. spell — letters
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rock — music
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. squash — the sport

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