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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. perch — the fish
  11. can — a tin
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bank — of a river
  15. can — a tin
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bank — for money
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wax — to grow
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bank — for money
  24. prune — to trim

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