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: mark · pitcher · bulb · season · net · ruler · ground · chest

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. net — for catching
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ground — a position
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. net — in sport
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bulb — for light
  14. season — in sport
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. chest — a box
  18. chest — of your body
  19. season — of the year
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. net — after costs
  23. chest — of your body
  24. season — to add flavour

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