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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. last — finally
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bulb — for light
  11. object — a thing
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. last — final
  14. object — to protest
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. last — to go on
  18. fan — a supporter

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