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 · bore · fan · bay · snap · pitch · file · club

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bulb — for light
  4. file — a document
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bore — to tire
  7. file — a tool
  8. snap — to click
  9. club — for golf
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. club — a group
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bulb — of a plant

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