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: bat · mouse · pitcher · pitch · bulb · cap · fork · saw

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. cap — a hat
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bat — the animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. cap — of ice
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mouse — the animal

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