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 120 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: drill · coach · pitch · squash · present · scale · temple · game

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. squash — to crush
  5. scale — size or range
  6. present — a gift
  7. pitch — completely
  8. present — there
  9. drill — a practice
  10. present — the time now
  11. game — a match
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. scale — in music
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. drill — the tool
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. game — wild animals
  24. drill — army training

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