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: date · lash · key · bulb · ball · pitch · spell · ground

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. spell — letters
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. key — in music
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. ground — the earth
  10. date — the fruit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ground — crushed
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ground — a position
  15. key — the most important part
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pitch — completely
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — for a lock
  24. spell — magic

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