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: spell · bark · wake · net · fan · bulb · pitch · toast

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. net — for catching
  3. spell — magic
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pitch — completely
  7. toast — bread
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. spell — letters
  11. net — in sport
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. net — after costs
  21. spell — a short time
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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