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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · pitch · ground · hide · rule · track

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitch — completely
  10. track — a song
  11. ground — a position
  12. rule — a law
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rule — to rule out

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