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: pitcher · field · bulb · mark · current · shower · ruler · leaves

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bulb — for light
  4. current — happening now
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mark — a trace
  11. field — a subject
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mark — a grade
  15. current — electric
  16. field — for sport
  17. bulb — for light
  18. shower — rain
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. current — of water
  22. shower — to wash
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. field — farmland

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