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: row · staff · pitch · bulb · firm · safe · mine · court

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. court — of a king
  3. bulb — for light
  4. staff — employees
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. mine — for digging
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. firm — decided
  9. staff — employees
  10. row — a line
  11. firm — steady
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. staff — a stick
  15. court — for sport
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. firm — a company
  22. court — of law
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mine — an explosive

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