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 120 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 · land · ruler · hand · spring · bulb · mark · bore

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. land — ground
  3. bore — to tire
  4. land — a country
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bore — to drill
  7. hand — in cards
  8. spring — of water
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — a coil
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. land — to come down
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. hand — help
  24. pitch — a sports field

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