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 120 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: pitcher · branch · band · current · bay · season · can · ground

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a ring
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. season — in sport
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. branch — a division
  12. ground — crushed
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. current — electric
  15. ground — the earth
  16. can — to be able to
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. season — of the year
  19. can — a tin
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. can — a tin
  24. ground — a position

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