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 · fall · wind · stem · racket · bulb · kid · scale

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  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. stem — of a plant
  3. fall — to drop
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fall — the season
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. scale — in music
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pitch — completely
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. kid — to tease
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stem — to come from
  22. kid — child
  23. fall — to drop
  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