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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bank — for money
  4. rock — music
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bank — of a river
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. game — a match
  16. pitch — completely
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bank — for money
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. branch — a division
  23. track — a song
  24. track — a path

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