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: saw · board · bay · pitch · march · craft · pitcher · pop

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pop — soda
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pop — music
  10. saw — the tool
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. board — a committee
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pitch — completely
  17. board — to get on
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. march — the month
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pitcher — a jug

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