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: bank · jam · cell · court · saw · hide · content · pitch

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. court — of law
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bank — for money
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bank — for money
  8. content — the amount
  9. court — of a king
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. saw — the tool
  13. court — for sport
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. cell — in biology
  17. pitch — completely
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cell — a phone
  20. content — happy
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bank — of a river
  24. saw — the tool

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