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: saw · pit · pitch · toast · safe · band · scale · bulb

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. band — a ring
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. scale — size or range
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. toast — bread
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitch — completely
  22. scale — in music
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. band — a music group

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