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: pass · cue · pit · bulb · cap · wake · swing · wound

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. cap — of ice
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. swing — music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wound — an injury
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bulb — for light
  19. swing — in golf
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cap — a lid
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pass — a permit

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