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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  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. fork — in a road
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pitch — completely
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — humankind
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. race — a contest
  14. bulb — for light
  15. degree — from a university
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — a hole
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. degree — temperature
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bulb — for light
  23. degree — an amount
  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