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 · pitcher · snap · scale · mug · row · bay · wound

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. row — a line
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. row — to paddle
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. wound — an injury
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. wound — an injury
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. scale — in music
  16. mug — a face
  17. snap — to click
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pitcher — a jug

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