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: toast · wound · cell · rock · pitch · wake · can · staff

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cell — in biology
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rock — music
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cell — a phone
  17. pitch — completely
  18. toast — bread
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wake — a trail
  24. cell — in a prison

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