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: bulb · object · mate · stick · capital · rush · ground · pitcher

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. object — a thing
  4. ground — crushed
  5. object — to protest
  6. mate — a partner
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. capital — money
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ground — a position
  11. capital — a city
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. object — an aim
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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