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: mate · pitch · plane · hand · object · stick · bulb · saw

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. object — to protest
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mate — to breed
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. hand — help
  10. saw — the tool
  11. object — an aim
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. mate — a friend
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. object — a thing
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pitch — completely
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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