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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bank — for money
  3. branch — a division
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. content — happy
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bank — for money
  11. press — newspapers
  12. dip — to sink
  13. tube — a container
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. content — the amount
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bank — of a river
  19. tube — the underground
  20. press — to push
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pitch — completely
  23. press — a publisher
  24. branch — of a tree

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