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 120 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: bay · pitch · hand · bulb · spring · wave · staff · dip

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. hand — help
  3. spring — a coil
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. staff — employees
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pitch — completely
  9. spring — of water
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. staff — employees
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. hand — in cards
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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