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 · mouse · racket · nail · bay · march · pitch · bass

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bass — low music
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. march — the month
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. march — music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. march — the month
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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