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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lean — thin
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. spring — of water
  7. lean — to bend
  8. ball — a great time
  9. spring — the season
  10. current — electric
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. press — a publisher
  17. ball — a dance
  18. current — of water
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. spring — a coil
  21. current — happening now
  22. bulb — for light
  23. press — to push
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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