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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lean — thin
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. march — the month
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. can — a tin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rash — a series
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. march — music
  17. march — the month
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. game — wild animals
  21. lean — to bend
  22. game — a match
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rash — hasty

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