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: key · cabinet · cap · track · pit · bulb · game · bass

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cap — a hat
  7. key — in music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bass — the fish
  11. track — a song
  12. bass — low music
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. track — a path
  17. bulb — for light
  18. game — wild animals
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. game — a match
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. cap — of ice

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