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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitch · can · spell · content · land · charge · bark · race

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pitch — completely
  4. can — a tin
  5. content — happy
  6. spell — a short time
  7. can — to be able to
  8. land — to come down
  9. spell — letters
  10. bark — to shout
  11. race — a contest
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. can — a tin
  14. charge — a price
  15. content — the amount
  16. race — humankind
  17. charge — electricity
  18. spell — magic
  19. land — ground
  20. land — a country
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. charge — in control
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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