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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pit — a hole
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bulb — for light
  8. clip — a video
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pit — in a race
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. clip — to cut
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. clip — for paper
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. row — a line
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. row — to paddle
  22. suit — to fit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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