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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. swing — in golf
  4. can — to be able to
  5. swing — music
  6. land — a country
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pitch — completely
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. land — to come down
  15. snap — to click
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. can — a tin
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bank — for money
  22. can — a tin
  23. bank — for money
  24. land — ground

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