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: pitch · fan · scale · season · band · present · dip · bank

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. season — of the year
  5. present — a gift
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bank — for money
  9. band — a ring
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. dip — to sink
  12. season — in sport
  13. scale — in music
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. band — a music group
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. present — there
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bank — for money
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. present — the time now

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