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: bark · nail · bat · shower · pitch · bulb · fork · mug

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mug — a face
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. mug — a cup
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitch — completely
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. mug — to rob
  24. fork — a garden tool

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