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: scale · track · bass · pitch · mouse · snap · pit · calf

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. track — to keep track
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. track — a song
  10. scale — in music
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. pit — a hole
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — size or range
  20. track — a path
  21. pitch — completely
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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