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

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rash — hasty
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. tear — from crying
  16. rash — a series
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rash — on the skin

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