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: chair · fork · bear · mate · mouse · bowl · pitch · lean

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. mate — to breed
  19. chair — a leader
  20. lean — thin
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mate — a friend
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. lean — to bend

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