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 · pitch · bay · spell · season · capital · mug · craft

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. capital — money
  12. spell — letters
  13. rush — hurry
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. season — in sport
  18. capital — a city
  19. spell — magic
  20. season — of the year
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. craft — boats
  24. rush — a thrill

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