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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bulb — for light
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. swing — in golf
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. swing — music
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. kid — child
  16. wind — moving air
  17. kid — to tease
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wind — moving air

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