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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. toast — bread
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. root — of a word
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. tear — from crying
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. root — of a plant
  12. tear — to rip
  13. scale — in music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — in sport
  16. bulb — for light
  17. root — the cause
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. net — after costs
  20. scale — size or range
  21. net — for catching
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. tear — from crying

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