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: bear · can · fine · craft · row · pitch · degree · pitcher

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. degree — from a university
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. row — a line
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pitch — completely
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. degree — temperature
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. row — to paddle
  15. can — a tin
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. craft — a skill
  20. degree — an amount
  21. craft — boats
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. can — to be able to
  24. craft — a handicraft

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