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: coach · ground · race · pitch · pitcher · mouse · object · bulb

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. ground — the earth
  5. object — a thing
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. ground — crushed
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — a contest
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. object — to protest
  12. ground — a position
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. race — humankind
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. object — an aim
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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