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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — for paper
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pitch — completely
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. clip — a video
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. cap — a hat
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cap — of ice

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