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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fall — the season
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. stand — to bear
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bear — the animal

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