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: saw · pitch · bulb · content · season · fine · rock · bank

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. season — of the year
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rock — music
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bulb — for light
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bank — for money
  11. fine — high quality
  12. saw — the tool
  13. content — the amount
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bulb — for light
  16. saw — the tool
  17. content — happy
  18. season — in sport
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. fine — all right
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pitch — completely

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