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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. shower — to wash
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. shower — rain
  16. game — a match
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pitch — completely
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pass — a permit
  24. game — a kind of play

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