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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. bank — for money
  5. track — to keep track
  6. pitch — completely
  7. track — a song
  8. rock — music
  9. capital — a city
  10. capital — money
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bank — of a river
  13. track — a path
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. content — the amount
  16. rock — a stone
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. content — happy
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bank — for money
  24. ruler — for measuring

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