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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bulb — for light
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. board — a committee
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. wound — an injury
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pitch — completely
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bulb — for light
  16. club — for golf
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rash — hasty
  20. club — a group
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. board — to get on
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rash — a series

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