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: roll · season · saw · bear · straw · shower · pitch · mug

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — of the year
  5. roll — a cake
  6. shower — rain
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. mug — to rob
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bear — the animal
  13. season — in sport
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. mug — a face
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mug — a cup
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. shower — to wash
  23. pitch — completely
  24. roll — a list

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