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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — boats
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. firm — a company
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pitch — completely
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. firm — steady
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. ground — a position
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. swing — in golf
  21. ground — crushed
  22. firm — decided
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — music

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