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 120 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. charge — electricity
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. spell — magic
  20. charge — in control
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. charge — a price
  24. spell — a short time

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