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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bat — the animal
  6. squash — to crush
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — to get on
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. lean — to bend
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bulb — for light
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. snap — to click
  19. board — a committee
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. lean — thin
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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