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

Word bank: rock · spring · mark · hide · bear · rash · board · pitch

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. spring — of water
  4. rock — a stone
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spring — the season
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. board — to get on
  10. rock — music
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mark — a trace
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rash — a series
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. mark — a grade
  18. spring — a coil
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pitch — completely
  22. board — a committee
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pitch — a sports field

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