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: rule · pitch · deal · racket · rock · bulb · season · tear

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. season — in sport
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. season — of the year
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bulb — for light
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rock — music
  19. rule — a law
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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