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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. fine — all right
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bank — for money
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wake — a trail
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bank — of a river
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bass — low music
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bass — the fish
  20. kid — child
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bank — for money
  24. wake — before a funeral

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