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 · bat · roll · current · rock · pound · pop · wave

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. roll — a cake
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pop — soda
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rock — a stone
  9. current — of water
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pop — music
  14. roll — a list
  15. rock — music
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pop — to visit
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. current — happening now
  21. bat — the animal
  22. current — electric
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bat — in an idiom

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