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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. can — a tin
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bulb — for light
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. drill — a practice
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. drill — the tool
  12. cap — a lid
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. drill — army training
  15. cap — of ice
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bulb — for light
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. temple — a place of worship

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