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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — in music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bulb — for light
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. present — there
  13. face — to confront
  14. present — a gift
  15. face — to point toward
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. face — part of the head

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