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: lash · can · pitch · rest · last · track · bear · content

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. can — a tin
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. content — the amount
  8. last — finally
  9. last — final
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. track — a song
  12. content — happy
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. can — a tin
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rest — a break
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pitch — completely
  19. last — to go on
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. track — a path
  24. content — videos and posts

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