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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. squash — to crush
  8. spell — a short time
  9. shower — to wash
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. spell — letters
  12. shower — rain
  13. root — of a plant
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a word
  19. staff — employees
  20. wake — a trail
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. pitch — completely
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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