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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. field — farmland
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bank — of a river
  13. sharp — clever
  14. field — a subject
  15. season — of the year
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. field — for sport
  20. pitch — completely
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. season — in sport
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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