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: track · straw · pitch · bound · roll · bear · cell · jam

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pitch — completely
  6. roll — a list
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. track — a path
  10. roll — a cake
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cell — a phone
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bound — certain
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bound — obliged
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. track — a song
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. jam — a tight spot

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