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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bulb — for light
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. field — a subject
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. board — a committee
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. field — for sport
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. board — to get on
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. field — farmland
  23. cell — in biology
  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