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 · mate · pitch · date · rash · staff · row · wave

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. mate — a partner
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rash — hasty
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rash — a series
  13. date — the fruit
  14. staff — employees
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. row — a line
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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