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: lean · pitch · bound · bank · stand · perch · temple · bowl

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. pitch — completely
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bound — obliged
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. bound — tied together
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bank — for money
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bank — of a river
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bound — certain

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