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

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. track — a path
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cue — a hint
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. cue — a signal

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