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: deal · ruler · bank · row · bulb · clip · trunk · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. clip — for paper
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. row — a line
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bank — of a river
  11. row — to paddle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. clip — to cut
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bank — for money
  22. clip — a video
  23. bank — for money
  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