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: swing · pit · pop · stick · pitch · bulb · foot · cap

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cap — of ice
  6. foot — a measure
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pit — a hole
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pop — music
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pop — soda
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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