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: fork · pitch · stand · saw · hide · press · ruler · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. saw — the tool
  3. press — a publisher
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — size or range
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fork — in a road
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitch — completely
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. saw — the tool
  19. press — to push
  20. press — newspapers
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fork — a garden tool

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