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: cell · cap · lean · bulb · row · bank · deal · pitch

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — to handle
  5. cap — of ice
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — to paddle
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. row — a line
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cap — a lid
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cap — a hat
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. lean — thin
  20. cell — in biology
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bulb — of a plant

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