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: last · mark · pitch · content · bear · rule · bass · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pitch — completely
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. last — to go on
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. pop — to visit
  7. content — the amount
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — government
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. content — happy
  17. bear — the animal
  18. last — final
  19. pop — soda
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mark — a trace
  23. last — finally
  24. mark — a grade

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