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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. net — for catching
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. net — after costs
  16. shower — rain
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. net — in sport
  19. bear — the animal
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. branch — a division
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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