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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. mug — a face
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stem — to come from
  6. current — of water
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a cup
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. lie — to recline
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. court — of law
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. court — of a king
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. current — happening now
  22. court — for sport
  23. current — electric
  24. stem — a stem cell

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