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: pitch · trunk · cue · net · sharp · patient · club · bulb

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. cue — for pool
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. net — after costs
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. net — for catching
  18. pitch — completely
  19. cue — a signal
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bulb — for light
  22. club — a group
  23. net — in sport
  24. club — for golf

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