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: press · bulb · rest · snap · spring · pitch · calf · object

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. press — newspapers
  5. spring — the season
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pitch — completely
  8. object — to protest
  9. press — to push
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rest — a break
  12. object — an aim
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bulb — for light
  15. spring — of water
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. object — a thing
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. press — a publisher

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