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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. hand — in cards
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. race — humankind
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. hand — help
  18. fork — in a road
  19. race — a contest
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. race — the arms race
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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