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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wind — moving air
  8. present — a gift
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. present — there
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. cabinet — a cupboard

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