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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bulb — for light
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. object — an aim
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mug — a face
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. object — a thing
  13. bulb — for light
  14. shower — to wash
  15. pound — a weight
  16. object — to protest
  17. shower — rain
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pitch — completely
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mine — for digging

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