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: pit · bulb · net · calf · pass · hand · straw · row

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bulb — for light
  3. row — to paddle
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pit — in a race
  8. hand — help
  9. net — after costs
  10. hand — in cards
  11. pass — a permit
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — in sport
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. row — a line
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. calf — of the leg

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