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 116 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. shower — rain
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bass — low music
  5. pitch — completely
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. present — the time now
  15. shower — to wash
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. ball — a dance
  18. present — there
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bass — the fish
  24. present — a gift

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