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 120 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: board · pitch · mark · pitcher · current · press · bark · bulb

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. current — of water
  7. bark — to shout
  8. current — electric
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. board — to get on
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bulb — for light
  19. current — happening now
  20. mark — a grade
  21. board — a committee
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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