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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. spring — of water
  5. spring — a coil
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. object — a thing
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fine — all right
  17. pit — a hole
  18. spring — the season
  19. bulb — for light
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. object — to protest
  23. fork — in a road
  24. object — an aim

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