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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bank — for money
  4. pop — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. file — a tool
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. chest — of your body
  9. pop — soda
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pop — to visit
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chest — a box
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. file — a document
  21. date — the fruit
  22. dip — to sink
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. date — on the calendar

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