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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. track — a song
  3. bank — of a river
  4. track — a path
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bank — for money
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bank — for money
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting

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