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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. degree — temperature
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bass — low music
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. firm — a company
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — from crying
  18. foot — a measure
  19. tear — to rip
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bass — the fish
  22. firm — steady
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. firm — decided

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