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: nail · bulb · can · cue · cap · fork · pitch · hide

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cue — a signal
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. cue — for pool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pitch — completely
  11. cap — a lid
  12. can — a tin
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. can — a tin
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fork — in a road
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. nail — for a hammer

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