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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. field — farmland
  6. tube — a container
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pitch — completely
  10. field — a subject
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. field — for sport
  13. bank — for money
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bank — of a river
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bank — for money
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. band — a ring
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. band — a music group

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