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 116 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: coach · kick · wind · spring · lean · bulb · saw · pitch

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. spring — the season
  5. pitch — completely
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. wind — moving air
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. lean — thin
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. spring — a coil
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wind — moving air
  23. spring — of water
  24. lean — to rest against

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