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 · fine · row · stem · kick · jam · deal · pitch

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pitch — completely
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fine — high quality
  15. kick — in football
  16. fine — all right
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. row — a line

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