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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bass — low music
  8. branch — a division
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bass — the fish
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. wake — a trail
  14. can — a tin
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. firm — decided
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. pitch — completely

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