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 · current · fork · pitch · mouse · scale · toast · kid

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. current — happening now
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. kid — child
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. toast — bread
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. bulb — for light
  17. scale — size or range
  18. kid — to tease
  19. current — electric
  20. current — of water
  21. scale — in music
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pitch — completely

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