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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bulb — for light
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. current — happening now
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. current — electric
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bulb — for light
  10. firm — decided
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. game — a match
  13. file — a tool
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. file — a document
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. firm — a company
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. spring — a coil
  23. current — of water
  24. firm — steady

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