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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. clip — for paper
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — for digging
  8. face — to confront
  9. bulb — for light
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. clip — a video
  12. suit — in cards
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — part of the head
  15. can — a tin
  16. suit — to fit
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. dip — to sink
  21. clip — to cut
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. can — a tin
  24. stem — to come from

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