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 · press · capital · lash · bass · mine · bank · bay

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. capital — a city
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bank — for money
  11. mine — for digging
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bank — of a river
  15. press — to push
  16. capital — money
  17. bank — for money
  18. press — a publisher
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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