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 · cold · march · race · suit · pitch · bound · racket

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cold — an illness
  3. bound — obliged
  4. race — a contest
  5. pitch — completely
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. race — the arms race
  9. suit — in cards
  10. march — the month
  11. cold — not warm
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bound — certain
  14. march — music
  15. bound — tied together
  16. suit — clothes
  17. race — humankind
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bulb — for light
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. march — the month
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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