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: bear · rush · wake · lie · pitch · saw · fan · bowl

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. saw — the tool
  23. lie — to recline
  24. fan — a supporter

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