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: rush · jam · saw · present · roll · hide · march · pitch

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. march — the month
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. roll — a list
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. present — there
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. saw — the tool
  16. march — the month
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — a gift
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pitch — completely
  24. rush — hurry

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