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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. field — for sport
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — for a lock
  9. drill — the tool
  10. field — farmland
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. key — in music
  13. bank — for money
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. drill — army training
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bank — for money
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bulb — for light
  22. field — a subject
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bank — of a river

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