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: season · mark · mate · stick · track · present · pitch · bank

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. track — a path
  5. mate — a partner
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bank — of a river
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. present — the time now
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. season — of the year
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bank — for money
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mate — a friend
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. track — a song
  19. present — there
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. present — a gift
  22. bank — for money
  23. mate — to breed
  24. season — in sport

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