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: pop · last · bear · rest · current · can · ball · pitch

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. last — finally
  3. bear — the animal
  4. last — to go on
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a great time
  7. current — happening now
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rest — a break
  10. pitch — completely
  11. can — a tin
  12. last — final
  13. rest — what's left
  14. current — of water
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pop — soda
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. ball — a dance
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. rest — what's left
  24. current — electric

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