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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pass — a permit
  3. court — of law
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. court — of a king
  7. spell — magic
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. spell — a short time
  15. clip — for paper
  16. spell — letters
  17. suit — in cards
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. clip — a video
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. court — for sport
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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