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: pitch · race · coach · rule · bulb · kick · content · firm

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rule — government
  4. bulb — for light
  5. firm — a company
  6. content — happy
  7. content — the amount
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. race — a contest
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bulb — for light
  14. firm — decided
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. race — the arms race
  17. kick — in football
  18. rule — a law
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. firm — steady
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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