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 120 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: bore · rock · coach · pitch · wound · season · bulb · fan

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. season — of the year
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. season — in sport
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fan — a supporter

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