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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. staff — employees
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pitch — completely
  5. can — a tin
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bear — the animal
  8. track — a path
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. wake — a trail
  13. track — a song
  14. can — to be able to
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. staff — employees
  19. track — to keep track
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. present — the time now
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bear — the animal

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