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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mug — to rob
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bark — to shout
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. squash — to crush
  15. scale — size or range
  16. chip — to eat
  17. scale — in music
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mug — a face
  20. chip — for betting
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mug — a cup
  24. chip — in a computer

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