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: bank · cabinet · nail · can · wax · pitch · stand · ground

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bank — for money
  3. ground — crushed
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bank — for money
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. ground — a position
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. can — a tin
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bank — of a river
  23. ground — the earth
  24. can — a tin

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