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: rash · pitch · mate · bark · straw · bank · deal · jam

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  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. straw — a straw man
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bark — to shout
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. deal — to handle
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rash — a series
  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