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: pit · bulb · present · mouse · racket · court · file · pop

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pop — to visit
  5. file — a tool
  6. court — of law
  7. present — a gift
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pop — music
  10. file — a line of people
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pop — soda
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. present — there
  16. court — for sport
  17. file — a document
  18. court — of a king
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bulb — for light
  22. present — the time now
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mouse — the animal

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