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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rest — a break
  5. branch — a division
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cap — a hat
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. chip — for betting
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. drill — the tool
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cap — a lid
  19. drill — a practice
  20. chip — to eat
  21. drill — army training
  22. vault — a safe
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bulb — for light

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