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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. net — after costs
  7. season — in sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. capital — money
  10. net — for catching
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bore — to drill
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. season — of the year
  21. saw — the tool
  22. net — in sport
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. capital — a city

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