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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cap — a lid
  4. pass — a permit
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. drill — army training
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — the tool
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. wound — an injury
  16. drill — a practice
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. can — a tin
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. cap — of ice
  24. fan — a supporter

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