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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — to crush
  6. cap — of ice
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bulb — for light
  10. band — a ring
  11. lean — thin
  12. cap — a hat
  13. lean — to bend
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. squash — the sport
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pitch — completely
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. band — a music group
  22. fork — in a road
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. scale — for weighing

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