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: bulb · chip · sharp · ground · pass · scale · field · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. sharp — clever
  4. ground — the earth
  5. field — farmland
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. ground — a position
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. field — a subject
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pass — a permit
  14. scale — in music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. scale — size or range
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bulb — for light
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. field — for sport
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. suit — to fit

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