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: plane · wave · pitch · spell · bass · bulb · shower · hand

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. shower — rain
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. plane — a tool
  9. spell — magic
  10. bass — the fish
  11. hand — help
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bass — low music
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pitch — completely
  21. spell — a short time
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. spell — letters

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