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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ground — the earth
  6. mate — a friend
  7. ground — a position
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. board — to get on
  10. pitch — completely
  11. board — a committee
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. net — in sport
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. net — for catching
  18. cap — a hat
  19. net — after costs
  20. cap — of ice
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bear — to put up with

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