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: leaves · jam · march · season · club · fork · bark · pitch

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. march — the month
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pitch — completely
  9. march — music
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. season — in sport
  12. march — the month
  13. club — a group
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bark — to shout
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. season — of the year

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