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: pitch · squash · sharp · fan · band · fine · hide · bowl

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. sharp — clever
  4. squash — the sport
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pitch — completely
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. fine — all right
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fine — high quality
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. squash — to crush
  15. band — a music group
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. hide — to keep secret

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