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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fine — high quality
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bulb — for light
  6. present — a gift
  7. degree — temperature
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to confront
  11. fine — all right
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bark — to shout
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. face — to point toward
  19. degree — an amount
  20. present — there
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. present — the time now
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — of a tree

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