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: snap · bulb · plane · squash · mate · degree · wake · pitch

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mate — a partner
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. mate — a friend
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mate — to breed
  11. degree — an amount
  12. bulb — for light
  13. degree — temperature
  14. snap — to click
  15. squash — the sport
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. degree — from a university
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. plane — a tool
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bulb — for light

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