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: staff · bulb · pitch · pitcher · cell · saw · wave · face

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cell — in biology
  11. face — to confront
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. staff — employees
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bulb — for light
  21. staff — employees
  22. face — to point toward
  23. cell — a phone
  24. face — part of the head

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