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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. present — a gift
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. cap — a lid
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bank — for money
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bank — for money
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pitch — completely
  15. present — there
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wake — a trail
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. season — in sport
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. season — of the year
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fork — in a road
  24. present — the time now

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