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 116 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. last — final
  6. court — for sport
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. last — to go on
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. can — a tin
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bulb — for light
  16. court — of law
  17. can — a tin
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. last — finally
  20. pass — a permit
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. court — of a king
  23. can — to be able to
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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