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: deal · squash · pitcher · track · wave · pitch · swing · rest

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. swing — music
  3. track — a path
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. swing — to play on
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rest — what's left
  15. swing — in golf
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. track — a song
  24. pitch — a sports field

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