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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pitch — completely
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bank — for money
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mark — a grade
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. content — the amount
  13. bank — of a river
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bank — for money
  16. content — happy
  17. row — a line
  18. mark — a trace
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — crushed
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. prune — to trim
  24. content — videos and posts

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