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 120 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: object · bulb · stick · pitch · net · mine · craft · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. craft — boats
  5. net — in sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. net — after costs
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. object — a thing
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitch — completely
  17. object — to protest
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. net — for catching
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. craft — a skill
  23. object — an aim
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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