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: pass · pitch · game · mug · wind · date · lash · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pitch — completely
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. game — a match
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bulb — for light
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bulb — for light
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. game — wild animals
  20. date — the fruit
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. mug — a cup
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mug — a face

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