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: stand · staff · pitch · kid · last · squash · bear · band

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  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. squash — the vegetable
  2. band — a ring
  3. last — to go on
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pitch — completely
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bear — the animal
  11. kid — child
  12. squash — to crush
  13. kid — to tease
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bear — the animal
  16. last — final
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. last — finally
  23. band — a music group
  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