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: bore · can · arm · jam · club · pitcher · squash · field

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. field — farmland
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. can — to be able to
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — for golf
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. field — a subject
  19. can — a tin
  20. field — for sport
  21. can — a tin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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