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: kid · wound · bowl · scale · current · bulb · fine · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fine — all right
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. current — of water
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. current — electric
  7. kid — child
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wound — an injury
  13. scale — in music
  14. current — happening now
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. scale — size or range

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