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 116 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pop — music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pop — to visit
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pitch — completely
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. content — the amount
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. charge — a price
  14. bank — for money
  15. pop — soda
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. charge — in control
  19. content — happy
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. squash — the sport
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. squash — to crush

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