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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pitch — completely
  7. band — a ring
  8. fall — the season
  9. lean — thin
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fall — to drop
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bulb — for light
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. can — to be able to
  23. band — a music group
  24. bulb — of a plant

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