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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. band — a ring
  4. bore — to drill
  5. club — a group
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. club — for golf
  9. march — the month
  10. craft — a skill
  11. march — music
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bulb — for light
  14. band — a music group
  15. march — the month
  16. chip — to eat
  17. craft — boats
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chip — for betting
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bore — to tire

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