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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. charge — electricity
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — in control
  10. stock — goods
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. game — a match
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. charge — a price
  22. stock — shares
  23. nail — on a finger
  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