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 116 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: fine · bay · pitch · bulb · pound · craft · can · last

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. last — to go on
  3. can — a tin
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bulb — for light
  7. last — final
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pitch — completely
  18. craft — boats
  19. can — a tin
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. last — finally
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pitch — a sports field

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