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: object · leaves · bulb · hand · press · ground · pitch · rash

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. object — a thing
  3. ground — a position
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rash — a series
  6. hand — in cards
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. ground — crushed
  9. object — to protest
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ground — the earth
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. object — an aim
  22. hand — help
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. press — to push

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