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

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. can — a tin
  6. cold — not warm
  7. rest — a break
  8. race — humankind
  9. season — of the year
  10. bank — for money
  11. pitch — completely
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cold — an illness
  16. rest — what's left
  17. season — in sport
  18. bank — for money
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. rest — what's left
  24. race — a contest

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