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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. current — electric
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. current — happening now
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — of ice
  8. kick — in football
  9. spring — the season
  10. bulb — for light
  11. press — a publisher
  12. spring — of water
  13. ball — a great time
  14. press — newspapers
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fine — all right
  17. spring — a coil
  18. press — to push
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. current — of water
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cap — a lid

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