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: snap · pop · face · pitch · bulb · jam · pitcher · swing

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pop — music
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. swing — music
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. swing — to play on
  12. snap — to click
  13. swing — in golf
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to point toward
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — soda
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bulb — for light

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