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

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. spring — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. spring — a coil
  7. toast — bread
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. spring — the season
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. root — of a word
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — the cause

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