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 116 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: rest · pitch · mouse · stick · bulb · content · bound · band

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. band — a ring
  6. rest — a break
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. rest — what's left
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — happy
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. band — a music group
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  24. content — videos and posts

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