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 124 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. mate — to breed
  8. content — happy
  9. mate — a partner
  10. suit — in cards
  11. scale — in music
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pass — a permit
  15. suit — to fit
  16. content — the amount
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bear — the animal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. mate — a friend
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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